You & Me
by Steffx621
Summary: In spite of the years, the pain, the lies and misunderstandings, at the end of the day they were still that one person to each other —when it counted they were always there for each other, and years later that still held true. LoVe fanfic.
1. You&Me - Chapter One

**Summary : **In spite of the years, the pain, the lies and misunderstandings, at the end of the day they were still that one person to each other —when it counted they were always there for each other, and years later that still held true. LoVe fanfic.

**Author's Note : **Hi! So here's a new LoVe story! I'm oh-so happy about the movie, so in the meantime writing about them has been my LoVe outlet! This story is still in the works, but I hope you like it. It takes place around 7 or 8 years after Season 3 finale, and then it takes off from there. Lots of flashbacks to fill you with the details of what happened in the missing years for sure! :) LoVe story through & through even when sometimes you won't see it so clearly :) IT IS though!

Anywho, hope you like it!

* * *

**You&Me**

* * *

_Veronica wasn't even sure where she was going when all of a sudden, out of nowhere…boom, there he was._

_Logan from all people at this party —well, then again, it was his party, but still…_

_"Alone again…"_

_Veronica quickly looked over at the party, and then turned back to him. "Naturally." She told him simply noting the bottle of champagne he was carrying._

_Logan leaned against the wall, bringing his hand to his head, before speaking again. "I, uh, I know the feeling."_

_Veronica couldn't believe that. "You? Host of the greatest private replacement prom ever?" In spite of the smile on his face as she spoke, Logan couldn't help but take a large swig from the bottle. "I'm sure you could have your pick of the bimbos…" Veronica said without meeting his eyes._

_They were both quiet for a small moment after that; Logan watching her as Veronica allowed herself to listen to the music playing in the background. A dreamy smile found its way to her lips before she could help it. "I really like this song." She stated quietly as she sat back on the table behind her._

_Logan took a look over at the party before moving closer to her. He straddled the table next to her, and angled himself so that he could properly look at her. "You know, I'm surprised, Veronica. And as a keen observer of the human condition, I thought you saw through people better than that."_

_Veronica was a bit lost at that. She didn't say anything, but just looked over at him questioningly._

_"Bimbos? That's not me anymore."_

_Right. A small puff of air escaped her mouth at that. "So what are you like now?"_

_Logan smiled pointing at the console where the music was coming from. "You know. Tortured. Ever since I had my heart broke."_

_Veronica nodded her head at that. She briefly looked at his eyes before speaking again. "Hannah really did do a number on you, huh?"_

_"Come on, you know I'm not talking about Hannah." As he said the words Logan finally managed to find the strength to look at her right in the eyes, his stare intense and his eyes glistening._

_Veronica couldn't help but feel surprised and taken aback at realizing what Logan was really saying. After everything they've been through this year how was she supposed to react to that?_

_Before she could say anything however, Logan started speaking again. "I thought our story was epic, you know? You and me."_

_"Epic how?"_

_At the question, Logan took another long swig of his drink. "Spanning years and continents. Lives ruined, bloodshed, epic." He trailed off starting at her strongly._

_Veronica on the other hand felt somewhat frozen as she heard him speak. She didn't move an inch but just swallowed hard as Logan began again. "But summer's almost here. And we won't see each other at all. Then you'll leave town then...it's over."_

_"Logan…"She honestly did not know what to do about this. Why was he doing this right now? _

_"I'm sorry. About last summer."_

_Wow, now that surprised her —more so the fact that Logan was almost in tears at this point. _

_"You know, if I could do it over..."_

_Logan moved even closer to her, and in that instant Veronica felt that strong need to get off this situation as quickly as she could. She could feel the tension in the air and she couldn't deal with that right now. "Come on. Ruined lives, bloodshed? You really think a relationship should be that hard?"_

_Logan shrugged his shoulders ever so slightly at her words. "No one writes songs about the ones that come easy."_

_No more words were spoken after that and as Logan moved closer and closer to her, Veronica struggled to look away from his intense stare. She looked back at him for a moment but then shifted her eyes down again as Logan leaned his head closer to her face._

_He reached out and stroked her cheek tenderly, making Veronica shiver under his touch. She heaved a deep sigh before finally staring properly up at him. Veronica felt short of breath as she felt Logan so close to her. He was about to kiss her and all the while she couldn't shut up all the conflicted emotions she was feeling right that moment. She wanted to kiss him, but…_

_No…she couldn't do it. "I have to go. I have to go." Her voice carried soft and broken as she slid off the table and took off. She didn't look back but Veronica knew Logan's eyes were on her the whole time as she left_

_Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. She had tears in her eyes when she reached the elevator. She pressed the down button once and when it didn't come right away she closed her eyes shut and cursed aloud again. "Shit," She breathed out before pressing the button ever so frantically a few more times._

_It was then when she heard someone coming her way. She didn't even have to look back to know it was him._

_"Please go away…" Veronica pleaded him biting on her lip as she struggled to focus her eyes on her shoes. All the while the stupid elevator still didn't come._

_Logan in any case took a few more long steps before stepping in front of her. "Please stay," He told her back seriously. "Please,"_

_This wasn't right. This wasn't how the night was supposed to go. Hell, this so wasn't how she was supposed to be feeling. And that was exactly the thing; she was feeling so many different things right now and that wasn't how it was supposed to be. She wasn't supposed to have feelings for Logan and he wasn't supposed to still have feelings for her either._

_When Logan used his forefinger to lift her face, he was met with the tears pooling in her eyes. He didn't want this see her like this, but on the other hand, he couldn't just let this go as if she was just another girl. She wasn't. She was Veronica…_

_The elevator finally came then, but neither of them moved. Veronica was looking up at Logan as the elevator's doors opened and closed again after a few moments. She let out a shaky breath. "You are drunk," She stated in a lame attempt to get off this._

_Logan slightly shook his head. "Veronica," He said almost in a whisper, letting out a breath. "Don't do that," He told her simply, knowing she knew what he meant. He could have drank all the alcohol in Neptune and that still didn't mean he wasn't completely serious about this._

_After a small moment, Veronica nodded her head at him ever so slightly. When Veronica looked back up at Logan to catch his reaction, she caught the exact moment when he started running his hand through his hair. _

_For one reason or the other, a smile formed in her lips. She took a small step forward and was glad when Logan understood immediately what she needed. He then easily and gladly folded her into a hug. Veronica wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face to his chest as Logan rested his chin on the top of her head._

_Logan breathed her in and out for a few moments feeling the rightness of this moment wash over him. It felt so right but then again, that feeling alone of everything being okay gave him a moment's pause. Nothing in his life had ever been completely okay —every time things were going well something always happened to ruin it. Why this moment had to be any different?_

_And sure enough, the moment Logan opened his eyes, Veronica wasn't there anymore. She was gone…_

Logan woke up from his dream in that moment. He was startled for a moment as his eyes adjusted to his dark room, and his reality sans Veronica Mars faced him again. He was a little impressed at the variation of the dream he'd had that night. At this point, Logan was more than accustomed to having these dreams almost every night. Come nighttime his dreams will always wander to all those what if scenarios. All those times he could've fixed things with Veronica if only he hadn't given up so quickly. His dreams sometimes went all the way back to junior high when he first met her –before he even started dating Lilly. More often than not however, he'll dream about the last time they broke up —her face, her broke words telling him it was over between them haunting him night after night.

These dreams began almost six months ago, which at first Logan thought was weird since at that point in time, he hadn't seen of Veronica in a little over two years. She haunted him anyway. That was the truth. During the day Logan could almost pretend she didn't exist, but at bed time, well…she was always there…

Always.

His head was pounding from what had to be a hangover, and yet all Logan could think about was getting a drink right now. That ought to help —in all honesty, that was the only thing that helped most days lately…

xxxx

"Veronica, psst, Veronica, Veronica…" Lilia let out a breath when the petite blonde continued to sleep in spite of her calls. Veronica didn't even look that comfortable in that chair, yet she seemed to be in deep sleep. Lilia guessed the reason she was here wasn't precisely to sleep, but oh well, she'd never been one to tell on her, so Veronica was safe. "Ve–roo-nica!" She called one more hoping this time Veronica would hear her.

And sure enough, with a start she awoke shaking her head and coughing a couple of times. "I'm awake. Are you okay? Are you okay?" Veronica rushed her words frantically as she got up from the chair and moved closer to Lilia in the hospital bed. "Are you okay?" She asked one more time as Veronica finally managed to fix her eyes properly on Lilia. She looked fine to Veronica, but still she wanted to kick herself on the head for falling asleep. What if one of the senior detectives had walked in on her while she was sleeping?

She shook her head shaking those thoughts away before focusing back in Lilia as she spoke. "I'm fine," She promised Veronica with a small nod of her head. "I woke up and you were here, I wanted to know why?"

Veronica allowed herself to relax a little at Lilia's words. "Wiley said you wouldn't talk to him." She explained simply as she sat back down. "He said you asked for me; why is that?"

Lilia shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know really," She replied in a quiet voice before shaking her head —she didn't have to be quiet anymore. She was free now. Veronica had made that happen —granted, not by herself, but she'd been the first stranger person Lilia had seen in so much time she'd just felt a connection with Veronica right away. Lilia had been just so so relieved and thankful for her. That was why she had asked for Veronica actually —for one reason or another, she felt a little more at ease when Veronica was around.

"Are all the other detectives going to come back?"

Veronica offered her a nod. "They have to ask you a few more questions. Show you some pictures and stuff…We still need to find Spel— David," Veronica corrected herself then for Lilia. For Lilia the person they were looking for was _David_, for Veronica however, and for all the other detectives, it was _Allan Spellman _—he'd been the man responsible for the kidnapping of Lilia over five years ago.

Slowly Lilia took all the information in —she still had a question. "How come I can't do that with you?"

Veronica wrinkled her nose trying to think in the right answer —after a moment, she realized there was no such thing, so she just settled with the truth. "Technically I can, and most likely would do it if you keep being stubborn and keep quiet with Wiley and the rest of the team…"

Veronica was honest, and unlike almost everybody else, she didn't threat Lilia as though she would break at any minute —maybe that was why Lilia also felt comfortable talking with Veronica only. "Did I get you in trouble?"

Veronica didn't miss a beat to shake her head. "I've done worse without any help, don't worry about it. Worst case scenario I'd just have to do a lot of desk work after this case is finished,"

"Right," Lilia said simply bringing her eyes down.

Veronica could sense she'd said the wrong thing, but she couldn't quite place what it had been. "Did I say something?"

Lilia shook her head slightly as she sat up a little more on the bed —Veronica hadn't said anything wrong, she'd just said the truth. "I'm just a _case_,"

Veronica hung her head and shook it after a moment. "You are _not_," Veronica promised strongly then. "You are a survivor. You went through a whole lot of very terrible things, and yet you are still strong enough to stand up to one of the scariest LAPD detectives and get away with it. You are most definitely _not_ just a case. I apologize for my choice of words," Veronica said honestly, yet with a small smile on her face. She meant what she said —she still couldn't believe Lilia had held her own to Detective Wiley and gotten Veronica back on this case after she had already been kicked off.

Veronica still wasn't sorry for what she did earlier —in the end it had led them to find Lilia and so she couldn't apologize for that. She'd been stubborn when she snuck into the basement of the house Spellman had been holding Lilia without backup, but after Wiley blew her off when she tried to tell him there was a way in, she had just decided to go in anyway in spite of him.

Sure, she'd taken a risk, she'd known better than to cowboy it solo as she did, but Wiley hadn't left her any other choice. It had been a risk, but wasn't just that what they did everyday anyway?

In the end, Lilia matched Veronica's smile softly, before letting out a breath. "So are you going to ask me questions?"

Veronica leaned back on the very uncomfortable hospital chair. "Only if you want me to," She replied easily.

Lilia nodded at that. "How about I ask you some questions first?"

Veronica looked questionably at her.

"Only to make things even a little bit," Lilia elaborated given Veronica's face. "I promise I'll answer whatever questions you throw at me after that,"

Well, that sure was a game Veronica could play —it wasn't as if she had millions of paperwork to do back at the station, right? "Sure, why not. But beware that I _will _ask you a whole bunch of questions, too, got it?" Veronica smiled when Lilia did it first at her words. "Go ahead now…"

Lilia nodded her head as she gave herself a minute or two to think through everything she wanted to ask Veronica. "Did you find my parents?"

"Yes we did." Veronica replied with a nod of her head. "They are flying in from Chicago. A couple of years after you disappeared, they…they couldn't bare living in California anymore, so they moved away…" Veronica couldn't ignore the hint of disappointment that flashed through Lilia's face —it couldn't be easy to accept that your parents gave up on finding you so easily, now could it?

To be fair, up until a few hours ago, Lilia was believed to be death though.

"How about my little brother?"

Veronica made a face at that question —she'd read Lilia's old file and information rather quickly a couple hours ago after the DNA test confirmed she was indeed the one and only Lilia Fuller who'd disappeared from the Orange County five years ago. "I actually don't know, but I can find out rather quickly if you want me to."

"Would you do that?" Lilia asked Veronica hopeful. "Maxie had just had his eighth birthday party before…well, before—"

"—I'll send a text to ask about Maxie and I promise you in a few minutes we'll know for sure. He's probably thirteen years old now…" Veronica said with a smile as she started writing the text to Ryan —Ryan was another detective; Veronica had known him since she started at LAPD, and while he was pleasant enough to be around, their relationship was just that of making each other favors as often as needed. And well, also the occasional coffee date but that was as far as it'd gone.

When Veronica looked up from her phone, she noticed Lilia had zoned out. "You still here with me kid?"

Lilia shook her head and snapped her eyes open in Veronica's direction. "That's how long it's been?"

Veronica wasn't following. "What?"

"Five years," Lilia added. "You said Maxie was probably thirteen now. That means it's been five years since I've been away…"

Veronica couldn't help when her hands turned to fists —it was so unfair that this girl had been genuinely robbed from five years of her life. "Yeah…it's been five years. You're 21 now…" Taking Veronica aback, Lilia let out a small chuckle at her last words. "What did I say that was so funny?"

"I'm 21," She repeated smiling in fake amusement. "No way I'm finally legal to drink now,"

Veronica couldn't help the chuckle that also escaped her lips. "You are, and if you are good, maybe your first bottle of Tequila will be on me," She added making Lilia smile —for Veronica it really was good to see her do that. If a person like Lilia who had gone through so much crap in her life, could still smile and make jokes, the least Veronica could do was complain way less about her insignificant day to day problems. "What else do you wanna know?"

Lilia hesitated for a few moments not sure if this was worth asking or not.

Veronica could feel Lilia staring at her intently and she wasn't sure she was comfortable with just the stare. "Ask already!" She urged with a small laugh.

Lilia stared at her for just another moment before going for it. "Who's Logan?"

Wait, what? "What?" Veronica asked feeling oh-so confused right now. How in the world this girl knew about Logan. "How –what –I-w, _what_?"

Lilia rolled her eyes slightly. "When you were sleeping, you said that name, I…I was just curious…"

"Oh…" Veronica said back simply looking away from Lilia for a moment. "I was…I was dreaming," She dreamed about him _constantly_ lately —it felt like a damn curse at this point actually. Veronica shook her head —there was no way she'd talk about him though; not even to Lilia. "Anyway, I…I don't talk about him," She told her honestly —she didn't do it, she really didn't talk about Logan with almost anybody —at least she hadn't for the last almost three years…

Lilia however was not satisfied with that answer at all. "Come on, it's just a question…"

Veronica looked uneasy; she shook her head at Lilia as the young woman put her palms together as in praying, and mouthed a '_Please'_ at Veronica. She sighed as her head hung. "He was just a…a boyfriend…a long time ago…"

Lilia wasn't completely happy with the vague answer, but she still knew better than to push Veronica —what if she got upset and left her alone. God no, that couldn't happen. "So you _are _a detective, right?"

Veronica was oh-so happy with the change of subject, she even smiled at Lilia as she nodded her head.

"Aren't you awfully young to be a detective though?"

Veronica laughed slightly —she was told that a lot. "I'm turning 27 in August…"

"You _so_ don't look 27," Lilia said with wide eyes. "That's still pretty young. It's impressive,"

Veronica dismissed the compliment shaking her head —it really wasn't. "It's not really. I'm still very much a rookie —I've only been a detective for like…" She trailed off counting the months in her head. "Four months or so…"

Lilia shrugged her shoulders; it still sounded impressive to her. "Why do you do it?"

"What? Being a cop?" Lilia slightly nodded her head. "I could just tell you it was my calling?" Lilia scrunched her face and shook her head at Veronica; she was going to need more than that. Veronica chuckled slightly. "I like to believe that the work I do means something, you know? It makes a little bit of a difference. We track down bad people and get them off the streets making the world a little bit less bad and scary…it helps me sleep at night…" Even though most nights as of lately were filled with that one who shall not be named.

Lilia nodded and smiled slightly; that had been a good answer. "So you always wanted to be a cop?"

Veronica took in a breath as she thought about that. She shook her head. "Not really." She answered sincerely. "Before getting into LAPD, I was actually pursuing the FBI,"

"The FBI? You? Really?"

"Really," Veronica assured her with a nod —she'd done everything, she'd passed all and every interview and test after she finished college, she thought her dreams might of came true, bang, everything changed, and LAPD had become her new plan A…

"What made you change your mind?"

Veronica twisted her lips looking at Lilia a little uneasily. "It's a long story kid. I mostly did it for my Dad, I can tell you that."

Lilia shook her head after letting out a puff of air. "You are so very secretive, you know?"

Veronica shrugged her shoulders —so she was. "Some things I just don't like talking about,"

Lilia rolled her eyes. "Like your boyfriends?" She pretty much stated that, wrinkling an eyebrow.

Now it was Veronica that in turn at her words, rolled her own eyes. "Well, yeah exactly like my boyfriends," She granted sounding a little more annoyed than she really was.

Lilia let out a defeated breath. "Do you even have one right now?" Veronica made a face at her words; wordlessly the tiny blonde was telling her that there was no way she was answering that. Lilia hung her head pouting at Veronica. "I would want to have one, you know?" She said softly into the air after a beat. "I've never had a real one," She said as her eyes slowly met Veronica's. "A real boyfriend, I mean," She clarified in case Veronica was lost as in what she was saying.

Veronica in any case, sighed and brought a hand to the bridge of her nose before looking over at Lilia again. "It's not fair what you are doing, you know?" She told her sharply with a roll of her eyes. Lilia knew what she was doing, she was playing her pity card, and surprising her, it was working since Veronica was very very close to cave in.

"I'll answer that question, but then that's it about the subject, understood?"

Like a very obedient girl, Lilia nodded her head at Veronica. "I promise, I swear, that's it!" She replied as quickly as she could.

Veronica nodded her head in return.

"Okay, well, tell me! Are you dating anyone right now? Is it exciting? Do you kiss? Does he hold your hand? Do you live togeth—"

"Whoa, hold the phone little miss!" Veronica interrupted unable not to smile at Lilia's overexcitement. Lilia was looking sheepishly at Veronica now, making the older blonde soften her features. She took a breath before she started speaking. "I do have someone," Veronica stated softly at last and wanted to scoff at the smile that her words brought to Lilia. "But he's…it's complicated…he's nice, and comfortable, and I…I don't know, it's just…"

"Complicated?"

"Exactly!" Veronica exclaimed when in all honesty she couldn't think in another word to describe her current relationship with Josh.

Veronica shrugged her shoulders at Lilia knowing she hadn't been very good at answering the question; she'd still tried though.

After that, the two of them stayed quiet for a few moments.

Lilia had one more question to ask though. "Has something really bad ever happened to you?" That question, unlike most of the others, had been asked in such a quiet and somber way, it almost broke Veronica's heart.

She sighed before meeting Lilia's dark eyes with her blue ones. "I've seen a lot of bad things in this job, does that count?"

Lilia shook her head. "I meant, to you?"

Veronica nodded simply, and for a beat, she didn't say anything but just moved her head. "Quite a few things actually…nothing as bad as what you went through though…" Lilia shifted her eyes from Veronica's as the blonde said that. Veronica yet again sighed. "My best friend was killed when she was seventeen. I've been almost killed a few times. Some of the people I care most about had gotten hurt because of me…we all have our skeletons in our closet, some haunt us every day, some are just there to remind us what once was…" Veronica explained softly, looking down at her drumming fingers on her lap —she knew exactly where that silly habit had come from. "Lilia, I can't tell you how to deal with this, or how to move past it, but one thing I know, you will…"

At Veronica's words, Lilia let out a breath as her eyes fell close and she leaned back on the pillow. It had been some long couple of days for her –if anyone deserved a break, it surely was that girl before Veronica. "Do you wanna sleep some? I don't have to ask my questions today?"

Lilia's eyes snapped open and she shook her head. "Don't go,"

"I won't." Veronica assured her right away. "Get some sleep. I'll stick around, I promise."

Lilia at this point was fighting sleep, but the idea of sleeping and being alone really didn't appeal her. Then again, Veronica's offer was exactly what she wanted. "At least until my parents get here, please?"

"Of course," Veronica replied seriously. "Sleep now," She smiled at Lilia as she started to get more comfy on the bed. She kept her eyes open checking on Veronica every once in a while until her eyes started feeling heavy and she closed them.

A couple of minutes later her eyes shot open again when she heard the noise of a cellphone.

Veronica scrunched her face apologetically. "Sorry, I'll turn the sound off now," She promised as she went to read the text message; turned out it was Ryan. Veronica smiled. "Guess what?" She asked before Lilia could close her eyes again.

"What?"

"Your little brother is coming along with your parents. You'll see them all in a few hours," Veronica assured Lilia with a smile, as the girl sleepily nodded and one more time closed her eyes.

Veronica let out a sigh of relief as she also leaned back on the chair slightly —days like today were good days, sure the bad guy was still on the loose, but at least this girl was free now. No-one could ever give her back what she lost, but…today she got back her future, and that was something…something big…

xxxx

When Veronica finally made it home, it was almost four in the morning. She felt so tired and almost everything hurt for some reason; her head, her bones…she so needed an Advil stat…

She walked to the living room, and plopped herself on the couch belly-first, sighing loudly as she did —she wanted to sleep, she wanted to sleep so bad, and yet the reality was that she needed to be back at the station in less than five hours.

Oh well…it was the job…

Just as her eyes started growing even heavier, Veronica clumsily reached out to grab her purse from the floor. She fumbled for her cellphone —she needed to set an alarm or else she was sure she'd sleep all the way until tomorrow. Just as she grabbed the phone however, said phone started buzzing in her hand. She moaned —_please let it not be work, please let it not be work, please let it not be work…_

It was Mac though —at least that was what the caller ID said. Veronica frowned as she picked up the call. "Hey, everything okay?" It was four in the morning after all.

The other line however, was quiet for a good moment making Veronica even more anxious. "Mac?"

"Yeah I'm here…" Mac replied at last. It didn't take Veronica more than the sound of her voice alone to know something was terribly wrong.

"What is it?"

"It's Logan,"

Almost immediately as those two words were spoken, Veronica was sitting up on the couch with a worried look on her face. She didn't even know what to make out of those words.

Veronica didn't have the chance to ask anything though, soon after Mac spoke softly again. "I…I–I think you should come home Veronica…"


	2. You&Me - Chapter Two

**You and Me - Chapter Two**

* * *

_"Something wrong?" Given his face, right now it really didn't take a genius to figure it out. Even when Veronica was smiling at him, Logan looked as though he was trying not to be sick by the words he was about to say._

_ "I can't do this anymore, Veronica." And then the words were out, and he couldn't do anything anymore to take it back. He'd said it and there was no turning back now._

_Needlessly to say, Veronica was taken aback by his words. In that moment she couldn't honestly form words to say back at him, so she just stared at Logan in disbelief as he continued to speak. "You know, I've been thinking, and, uh...this isn't working. You know, I don't think I quite measure up to the person that you want me to be and…and I just can't take feeling like a disappointment anymore."_

_What the hell was he talking about? "Logan, I don't—"_

_"–Hey, let me get this out, okay?" He interrupted, because this really was important and he needed to say it. "The other thing...you told me you weren't built to let people help you–"_

_"–That's not exactly what I said." Veronica tried to defend herself, but deep down she knew this was bad. His demeanor alone was scaring her —rare were the times she'd seen him like this._

_"It's close," Logan said then, and Veronica couldn't argue —she had indeed said something on that alley of words. "And you know what? I'm not built to stand on the sidelines."_

_At that, Veronica nodded her head; her eyes already glistering with tears. She so did not expect this happening today and this way. Not in a million years she would have imagined things between her and Logan were going to be finished today…_

_"I don't know, I think we have a choice. And I think we can take a tough but survivable amount of pain now…" Logan told her sincerely, staring at her. "Or stay together and deal with unbearable pain later."_

_Veronica let out a deep breath at his words, suddenly she found herself wishing against hope she'd just gone to class instead of waiting for him after his class._

_Inwardly, Veronica feared the words she was almost positive Logan was about to say_

_"So, I vote for the pain now." Even as he said the words, Logan could still hardly believe he actually said them. He looked down at Veronica then and the sight alone of her was enough to bring tears to his eyes. He meant what he said though, and deep inside he really did believe this was the best decision for the both of them._

_After a beat, Veronica nodded her head ever so slightly at his words —as hard as it was, she had no other option but to accept his choice, right? _

_Right?_

_"But I'm always here...if you need anything." Logan took a step forward then, and after placing his hands on either side of her neck, he leaned forward and kissed her sweetly on the forehead. "But you never need anything." He concluded then, feeling resigned, but mostly broken. He needed her, that much was true —he loved her, and needed her more than air, but at the same time, he also needed more from her, he needed her to need him back if only slightly, but that…well, given their history and simply the way Veronica was, that just wasn't going to happen._

_Veronica on the other hand couldn't even speak or form any kind of words or sounds, as Logan looked at her and took a step back._

_He actually waited a moment or two before turning from her and walking away in the opposite direction._

_Veronica was positive she was about to lose it, so she then just took in a deep breath and tried like hell to keep herself together. She'd get over this, of course she would. This was just Logan after all…just Logan…_

_Only that was a big lot of bullshit. There was no such thing as just Logan. He was Logan for Heaven's sake –he was the only one who wasn't supposed to ever do something like this, to ever give up on her like this…_

_He was Logan, and contrary to what he said, Veronica did need something from him —she needed him._

_And it was then when Veronica snapped out of her daze, and started walking fast in the direction Logan had gone before. After she walked into the building, it didn't take her long to spot him among the other people. "Logan, wait up!" Right now she was almost running as she chased after him._

_Even when Logan heard his name called by Veronica loud and clear, he felt as though he couldn't turn around to face her. _

_In any case, while unable to turn around to see her, Logan did stop walking as Veronica rapidly reached him. Logan was somewhat frozen and motionless as Veronica all of a sudden was standing before him again, and her tiny hand was touching his forearm keeping him from escaping from her again._

_They were quiet for a moment as Veronica caught her breath back after running to him. They weren't looking at each other for the longest two minutes in the history of time, yet when mindlessly Veronica started trailing her fingers up his arm slightly; Logan slowly moved his eyes to look at her._

_Veronica's eyes just as slowly shifted to meet his then. They shared a strong look for a moment or two, before she simply sighed and let go of everything inside her that held her back from saying what she needed to say right now. "I do need you. Can't you see that? I do…"_

"Veronica…psst, Veronica,"

Veronica heard the voice calling her name as she started to stir awake —but no, no, she didn't want that. She didn't want to wake up yet —the best part of the dream hadn't even happen yet. He was supposed to kiss her now, _Logan_ was supposed to ki—

"Veronica,"

Crap —she was awake now. With a low groan, Veronica started shaking her head slightly as she tried to blink sleep off her eyes. "What?" She whined as for those first seconds after waking up, she completely forgot where she was, why she was here, or even how she'd gotten here.

Reality came back rushing to her only an instant later though, as her eyes —_finally completely open_— managed to focus on those of Wallace. She'd fallen asleep while waiting to hear something, anything about how Logan was doing.

Veronica let out a shaky breath as she sat up properly on the hospital plastic seat. She met eyes with Wallace again as he sat down by her and offered her a cup of coffee. "You are a saint," She told him with a faint smile as she reached for the cup and grabbed it with both her hands. She was so in need of that coffee right now. She took a small sip of her hot beverage before looking back up at Wallace —he was wearing one of those brotherly kind of smiles he did sometimes. "Any news yet?"

The question alone was enough to make Wallace's smile disappear. "Nope," He replied simply shaking his head. "He's still in surgery…"

Veronica nodded her head as she slowly brought the coffee cup up to her mouth. She didn't take a sip right away though, but instead cupped the cup close to her lips for some long few moments as her mind started wandering again. Veronica could see Mac over by one corner of the waiting room talking on the phone —as it seemed, she'd been the one in charge of doing all the phone calls regarding the news about Logan.

Veronica however wasn't even sure whom she was calling —if anything her time with Logan taught her, that was just how alone in the world Logan was. He had no family —not really; his father was dead, his mom allegedly was too, and his siblings, well, those two were the same as nothing, so yeah…Logan was alone —in spite of all the media and million fans waiting outside the hospital for some news on him as well.

It'd been a car accident —three cars involved, all ending crushed and piled up on the other; it had been bad…

A noise startled Veronica out of her thoughts then. She turned around her head and saw Dick Casablancas from all people, kicking at a hospital seat before cornering a nurse and demanding for some information on his friend. Everybody in the waiting room, while slightly disturbed by Dick's loud voice, did their best to listen intently at what the nurse had to say.

"The Doctor will come to update you as soon as Mr. Echolls is out of surgery,"

Dick groaned at the nurse's words turning around and leaning his head on the wall —this was so fucking messed up in so many levels.

Veronica on the other hand, closed her eyes and brought one hand up to massage her aching neck. A moment later, she looked over at Wallace and shook her head. "This is messed up," She stated, and while being the optimistic he was, Wallace couldn't honestly tell Veronica anything to argue her on that…

Mac came back then and sat down at Veronica's other side. She looked somber and stressed. "So his sister is a no show," She told both her friends through gritted teeth —it was the understatement of the day to say Mac was less than pleased to have spent hours trying to contact Trina only to have her blew her off "_My little brother's tough —he'll pull through,_" She said. Only thinking about her words made Mac's blood boil. "She's evil,"

In spite of everything, Veronica felt a smile playing on her lips at Mac's words. "She is, isn't she?" She said back in a quiet voice. Veronica was looking down then when out of the corner of her eye she saw Dick's feet walking in front of her. And of course Veronica had to lift up her eyes to meet Dick's in the right instant he was shooting at her a death glare.

Veronica looked away from him immediately rolling her eyes. "What's his fucking problem with me anyway?" Veronica snapped looking for answers in both her friends.

Wallace and Mac in any case just shook their heads —of course they knew what his problem was, but…so did Veronica…

"It is _not _my fault Logan's here," Veronica said urgently looking back and forth between Mac and Wallace —they were quiet. "It's so not! Logan's a grown man, he should've known better than to drink and drive," Veronica said, but still couldn't help the quiver in her voice. "It's not my fault —I, I haven't seen him in years, he…I didn't even know he was drinking so much, I…_fuck_, it's not my fault…"

"Are you saying that to convince us or yourself Veronica?" Wallace was death serious as he asked the question.

Veronica didn't appreciate in the slightest his comment though. "Fuck you," She said as many tears out of nowhere started to blur her vision. She shook her head at him angrily, before getting up from her seat and walking out of the waiting room as fast as her feet could take her.

Fuck was right…

xxxx

Veronica waited outside the chapel of the hospital for a couple of minutes before walking in —when at last she felt ready, she took a deep deep breath and opened the door. There, in the second to first pew, sat just who she was looking for.

Before walking any further however, Veronica stood by the entrance of the chapel and stared at the man on the cross. She let out of a breath before doing the sign of the cross with her right hand. Never one to be considered a believer, but still one that always ended up coming to him in moments of need.

At last, slowly, Veronica walked the few steps down the aisle, and took a seat on the pew next to Dick.

It took him a moment to register it was Veronica sitting by him, but once he did, he was quick to try to get up.

Veronica rolled her eyes as she moved her hand to grab his arm. "Just stay, don't be a…dick…"

Dick scowled but still obliged. "What do you want Veronica?"

"Nothing," Veronica replied simply looking again at the cross hanging on the wall. She sighed after a beat. "I never thought of you as the kind that prayed…"

Her words made Dick turn his head to her. "I'm not," His words were short and simple, yet carried strong and sharp.

Veronica simply nodded as though she understood —when she brought her eyes down to her lap and started fidgeting with the ring on her finger, Dick's features softened and he let out a breath.

As much as he needed someone to blame about what had happened to Logan, he at least could see now that that someone wasn't Veronica. She looked scared shitless, so if anything maybe she was the only one who understood just how he felt, and how screwed up this was.

"Do you?"

The fact that Dick was asking a question directed to her, surprised Veronica a little. Her eyes widened slightly as she shifted her head to look at Dick. "Do I what?"

"Pray?" He replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "Never thought of you as the kind who did it either…"

At the question, Veronica let a small smile appear on her lips. Truth was, she wasn't that close with the man upstairs either, but… "When it counts I do it," Her answer made Dick turn to her with quizzical eyes. "When my Dad was in the hospital a few years ago, I sat right…there…" She said pointing to a different pew.

Again, there was some sort of understanding in the air as they looked into each other's eyes. "When they…you know, told me about my brother, I…I prayed to God it wasn't true…"

Veronica nodded her head shifting her eyes under his gaze; she could only imagine how that felt like. "Guess we are both believers only when we are desperate…"

They didn't say more words then for several minutes. Veronica's eyes where down on her lap, while Dick stared at the image of Christ before them. Praying for Logan's health didn't come easy for him, but he still thought that being here would help somehow.

And actually, despite how completely pissed off he'd been at Veronica earlier —_for really, no reason but just the fact that she left –yet again– all those years ago_—, right now he wasn't so mad at her anymore. He was actually hopeful in a way that Veronica here meant God would hear their prayers stronger and louder.

"Why did you even come Veronica?"

Unlike what Veronica thought, his question didn't come out accusing or anything —Dick really just wanted to know. After all, as far as he knew, Veronica had taken Logan out of her life for good some solid few years ago.

That was why he'd been so pissed at her earlier actually; it had been after that last time they broke up that Logan had gone down a spiral-like black hole. Dick had known it had been bad and ugly —but he hadn't heard anything about it from Logan. Logan hadn't actually talked about Veronica or the break up –at all, for months and months. He'd just dug himself a hole that was proving to be too deep for him to get out alive with no help…

Dick was inwardly hoping right now that this time Logan had actually hit rock bottom —if he hadn't then…well, Dick didn't even want to think about that possibility.

In the end, after thinking carefully about her answer, Veronica turned to Dick. "Do you honestly think I could've been able to stay away?" She asked him with a serious look even though her question was rhetorical. "I just need to know Logan's going to be okay," She said even if she wasn't sure such thing were even possible —sure, if the doctors did their job right, Logan would pull through, and be okay _physically_, but what about _emotionally_? "He's still…y'know…Logan…" Veronica said as though that alone should give Dick the answer he wanted.

And sure enough, in response he nodded his head at Veronica.

Veronica looked at Dick then as he pulled out from his pocket his ringing phone, and shut it off without even looking who was calling him.

"Dick," Veronica said uncharacteristically soft after a beat. He simply turned his head to her. Veronica bit her lip strongly before actually speaking. "Do you think it's my fault he's here?"

Her words were enough to make Dick hung his head and pause for a moment. The truth was, he did think it was her fault —not _all_ her fault, but to some extend Veronica was indeed at fault to him.

"I think Logan hasn't been doing too well lately, and to tell the truth, in a way you did help him get to where he is now…" Dick told her sincerely without meeting her eyes. "He's a grown-ass man though, so I'd be an idiot if I put all the blame on you, but…he's my friend Ronnie…"

And so the Dick Veronica remembered was still there after all. Veronica couldn't help the small smile that traveled to her face at the term of affection. She turned her head to see him and she nodded. "I'm glad he has you," Veronica admitted painfully in a low voice after a beat.

Dick couldn't help the smirk on his face before he let out a shaky laugh. "Bet you never thought you'd hear yourself saying those words, huh?"

With a tiny smile of her own, Veronica shook her head slightly. "Thought I'd die at least three times before admitting to such a thing," She smiled and though it took him a moment, so did Dick.

After that, they both grew serious though —somehow the thought of Logan and all the broken bones and injuries the Doctors were trying to fix inside the OR right now returned to both their minds at the same time.

Veronica let out a long breath before she reached out and grabbed Dick's hand into her own for reasons beyond herself. "He's survived worse…" Veronica whispered then after a small moment.

Dick was a little surprised she was even touching him, but still at her words, he nodded. "He has indeed…" Including surviving Veronica, but Dick was definitely not going to say that aloud right now.

A few minutes went by with the two of them in silence until all of a sudden, the door behind them opened, and both Veronica and Dick jumped. It was Mac and while she looked hurried, she didn't look as worried and troubled as they all had earlier –she was waiting to speak for some reason though.

"Mac?" Veronica spoke when she couldn't handle the silence anymore —what if the silence was because something terrible terrible had happened? Oh God…

Mac in any case just shrugged her shoulders slightly before the words started coming out. "He's out of surgery now…" She explained as calmly as she could. "He pulled through…"

xxxx

Wasn't it a big irony that from all people in the world, Logan's emergency contact was not just anyone but _Keith Mars_? Veronica shook her head slightly as her eyes darted to where her Dad was standing next to a Doctor. Technically Doctors are only supposed to inform family about any patient's condition, but given Logan didn't have a family, his emergency contact was the only one the Doctor was allowed to speak with.

Veronica couldn't hear anything of what they were saying, but at the very least, she knew Logan was alive and out of danger —that much the doctor had assured them all before pulling Keith aside for the details. Quite honestly, Veronica wasn't even sure if she wanted to know the details. All she wanted right now was for Logan to wake up, and be okay so that she could just go back to her life in LA.

How did her dad end up being Logan's emergency contact anyway? Although she tried, Veronica couldn't help but feel annoyed at that. It really was pretty bananas they lived now in a world where Keith knew more about Logan's life than she did…oh well…

In that moment, Veronica saw her dad shaking hands with the male doctor before turning from him and walking back into the waiting room. Everybody that was there for Logan circled around Keith waiting for the man to start speaking. Veronica was in the back of the crowd, but she and Keith still managed to share a look before Keith started speaking.

"The Doctor assured me Logan's going to be fine,"

Veronica was sure Keith's words were enough for everybody to let out a collective sigh of relief.

"His surgery went really well, and the Doctor is hopeful he'll have a full recovery. His right arm is broken so he'll need some help from all us for a few weeks, but other than that he should be okay…" No one else may know it, but Veronica knew the hopefulness in Keith's voice wasn't completely genuine.

Sure, Logan was going to be okay physically, but given this accident, it didn't take a genius to figure out Logan simply wasn't okay…

"Is he awake?"

Veronica looked up immediately as the question was asked; she looked around but couldn't place just who asked it. It didn't matter though so instead of trying to figure that out, she looked again at her Dad. She wanted to know that as well.

Sadly enough however, Keith's face did fall at the question. "He's not awake yet, but…he should wake up within the next few hours, maybe even next couple of days…"

After that Veronica heard more people asking Keith more and more questions, but she'd heard all she needed to hear already, so instead of staying there any longer, she snuck off the waiting room, and instead took the elevator up to the fourth floor. According to what she (over)heard earlier, Logan was supposed to be taken to that floor after his surgery. Considering he was still asleep, Veronica honestly thought this was the right time to see him. She needed to figure out which room he was in, and also a way to get in to see him first though.

There was only one nurse on sight, so Veronica didn't waste any more time to approach her —she was most definitely going to hell for what she was about to do, but the hell with it…she needed to do this —she needed to see him alive and breathing with her own eyes before anyone else…

"Hi,"

The nurse was clearly busy filling up some charts, so she barely looked up at Veronica when the petite blonde spoke. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah, I'm here for Logan Echolls?" The mention alone of Logan's name was enough to get the nurse's attention.

"I'm not sure he's allowed visitors quite yet." The nurse said honestly; everybody on the floor knew Logan Echolls son of the late Aaron Echolls was staying here. As far as she knew though, he had just gotten out of surgery and the Doctor on his case hadn't given her any directions on visitors yet, which actually meant, no visitors allowed yet. This lady before her looked as though she was going to cry at any given minute though. "Are you family?" She asked back before Veronica could say anything at her words.

Veronica lifted up her left hand to wipe the tears that had pooled in her eyes —she was definitely putting a show for this nurse, but the fact that she hadn't even had to try to make her eyes teary showed her just how much she genuinely still cared for Logan. That on its own was really messed up.

"Not really," Veronica sighed; her left hand tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Not yet anyway," Yup, straight to hell she was going.

Veronica saw right then the small pause her words caused on the nurse —it took her a moment or two, but after a beat, she was there —she noticed the ring on Veronica's finger and her lips formed an almost perfect 'O'. "Oh," She let out as she looked at Veronica with softer features now –she hadn't read anything on the tabloids about Logan Echolls being engaged, but then again, he had been very shy with the media throughout the last few years. The nurse then didn't hesitate to smile at Veronica —she'd always been a fan of the Echoll's family, the least she could do was let this poor girl see her fiancé. "I'll buzz you in in a moment miss,"

Veronica forced a smile to her face in the nurse's direction as she nodded gratefully.

Only minutes after that, Veronica was walking in slowly into Logan's hospital room. She knew she needed to do this quick —soon enough she was sure everybody else was going to start showing up in this room as well; everybody had certainly been dying to see him all day after all.

In any case, even after Veronica closed the door behind her, she found herself completely unable to look up from the floor. She was afraid to see Logan to be honest —it had been such a long time, and this sure as hell wasn't the way she thought she'd be seeing him again after years of silence between them. She was shaking and right about now she didn't even have to try to cry, the tears pooled in her eyes immediately as she started walking closer to the bed. She felt so guilty, even though she'd spent the better part of the day trying to convince herself this wasn't really her fault.

Veronica did feel guilty though —she felt guilty for not knowing at all how much he'd been struggling this past few months. She didn't even know what had driven him to this point, where even Dick sounded scared shitless for Logan's wellbeing. It couldn't just be her fault, could it? Veronica knew better than to think of herself as being still relevant enough in Logan's life after all this time to cause so much damage…there have got to be something more…she knew it…

When Veronica finally looked up at him, she was faced with Logan hiding under some wires, a couple machines monitoring his heart and brain, his face bruised to the point that Veronica could barely tell his eyes from all the blue and purple spots on his face. Suddenly she wanted to cry so bad —she closed her eyes softly after walking the rest of the way to the hospital bed. Out of sheer instinct, Veronica reached out then and covered his hand gently with hers. She opened her eyes and noted his chest rising and falling as he breathed —at that sight, Veronica in all honesty couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped. "You are an idiot Logan…" She whispered to him, when at last she was strong enough to look at his face directly. "You are a big stupid idiot…" Veronica's voice was quiet as her fingers softly stroke those bruised fingers of Logan… "What happened to you?" She asked brokenly as slowly Veronica sat down on the chair next to his bed. She laid her head on the side of the bed and quietly let a few of the tears she'd contained all day fall at last.

So many emotions and feelings were running through her mind and heart, she knew in her head that she shouldn't care as much after all this time, but her heart, well, that one just didn't listen –nope, not at all. Her heart was almost overjoyed at the sight of him alive, after almost dying the night before. Veronica had been surprised herself by how much fear she'd felt at the thought of something wrong happening to Logan.

They were nothing —_no-thing_. At this point in time, they were merely strangers to one another, and yet, as soon as Veronica heard something was wrong with him, she didn't have to think twice before grabbing her car and start driving to Neptune as quickly as she could.

"I'm sorry, Logan. I'm so sorry," Veronica sighed letting the tears now fall heavily. She'd made it to almost one year without crying because of him…oh well, that'd gone to hell now…

She couldn't do this though —she couldn't go down the rabbit hole with him again. Even when it was almost killing her inside, Veronica knew she had to leave. She couldn't stay even if that was the only thing her heart desired right now…

Veronica grabbed Logan's hand gently again and then run softly her thumb over his knuckles. "I'm really sorry, but you are still an idiot…" She whispered again, not able to help herself. Logan had screwed it all up years ago —it had been him, and while Veronica wouldn't talk about it with anyone, the fact that they hadn't spoken let alone seen each other in years, was just as much Logan's fault as it was hers.

Veronica managed to shake her head and bring her eyes down before hearing soft footsteps walking into the room.

She moved her eyes from the bed immediately as she struggled to clean the tears from her face before looking in the direction of this person in the room. She was glad when she realized it was only a nurse.

"I'm sorry," The nurse excused herself before passing Veronica a Kleenex the petite blonde appreciated a lot.

At the apology, Veronica simply shook her head as she wiped her eyes some more. "It's all right," She told the nurse in a shaky whisper.

"Some of mister Echolls' friends are here to see him. I thought I'd come in to see if it was okay with you if they came in?"

Veronica suddenly felt quite moved at the nurses kindness. "That'd be all right," Veronica replied standing up from the chair. "Did you tell any of them I was here, though?"

The nurse shook her head without missing a beat. "No ma'am," She said in a quiet voice yet with a small smile firmly placed on her face. "Should I tell them to come in, then?"

Veronica nodded her head offering the nurse a kind smile of her own —perhaps the only genuine smile she'd smiled since yesterday. "Just give me a couple of minutes to say goodbye, okay?" The nurse nodded before turning around and heading out of the room.

Veronica almost immediately also turned back to look at Logan. "I'm not really leaving yet, I just…I, I need you to wake up, okay Logan? Don't be an ass and go dying. Just wake up, that's all you have to do…" Veronica said as firmly as she could before leaning over and kissing Logan on the forehead.

She smiled sadly at him before turning on her heels and disappearing from the room.

xxxx

It was at around nine at night when Logan finally woke up —it had been almost seven hours since his surgery yet almost everybody who'd spent the night at the hospital were still there waiting for him to wake up.

Even Veronica was still there. She had been in the room when he awoke. She'd been standing on the far end of the room while Dick and a bunch of Logan's new friends from Hearsts stood circling Logan's bed as he slowly came to consciousness. Veronica saw her Dad and Mac almost jumping from the couch they'd been sitting when the noises of Logan waking up and hoarsely coughing broke them from their own inner thoughts.

"Oh, thank God," Someone cried and Veronica nodded and almost even smiled —thank God was right.

She in any case didn't move from her spot —from the distance Veronica saw then as Logan's eyes started blinking slowly as he tried hard to gather his bearings. Everybody seemed to be cheering and sighing with relief while Veronica bit on her lip so strongly she even drew blood. She lingered in the room for another moment looking in Logan's direction as he struggled to keep up with everything everyone was telling him.

She looked down and shook her head ever so slightly before slowly walking in the direction of the door. She didn't belong here anymore —she didn't belong in Neptune, and she certainly didn't belong in Logan's life anymore, she was no more but an outsider looking in, so in the end, without looking at him anymore, she left…

Veronica didn't know it, but just as she was closing the door quietly after her, Logan's eyes traveled to the door and he saw that unmistakable petite form of hers stepping out of his room without as much as a hello…

Logan's face had fallen immediately yet he didn't let himself dwell on it —He wasn't relevant in Veronica's life anymore, and that was very much his fault. He didn't expect her to still care about him after everything that had gone down the last time they saw each other. In all honesty, Veronica had every right in the world to hate him, and Logan knew it…

It was oh-so screwed up, but it was still the truth nonetheless…

xxxx

It was after midnight, and Veronica was driving when her phone started buzzing inside her purse. She wasn't listening to any music —which was odd on its own— so she heard the phone even if it was in silence. She pulled over to the side of the highway and waited only a moment before the phone started buzzing again —it was her Dad. Veronica let out a small breath before picking up. "Hi Dad…"

Veronica didn't even have to be there to know the face Keith was probably making. "Hi Dad?" He echoed her words, and Veronica knew right then he didn't call to make small talk at all.

She sighed. "I'm sorry," Veronica said softly then, not really knowing just why she was apologizing for, but knowing nonetheless, she had to do it.

"Sorry for what?" Keith asked her back, and when Veronica didn't try to answer right away, he took it as a sign to continue himself. "Sorry for leaving without as much as a goodbye to your father? Sorry for not picking up my call till now? Sorry for disappearing on everybody at the hospital? Why are you really sorry kiddo?"

"All of it?" Veronica sighed looking out her car window at the few cars still passing through the highway. She shook her head when her Dad stayed quiet. "I needed to head back to work," She explained but her words didn't come out the slightest bit honest. That was a lie —not on its own though, she really did need to head back to work as soon as possible, but work certainly hadn't been the reason she'd left Neptune in the middle of the night without saying goodbye to anyone.

"Veronica," Keith called her name in a serious tone —she was crazy if she thought she'd fool him just like that.

"Look, I just…I –I don't know Daddy, Logan's okay, he's awake…what else was I supposed to do in Neptune?" Veronica asked, and while her voice was indeed a little shaky, Keith didn't doubt she was telling the truth —at least what she believed was the truth.

Keith felt for her, he really did, but he still didn't understand how she'd stuck around in the hospital for hours only to leave without even talking to him. He didn't want to push Veronica at all, but he at least wanted to understand her. Truth was he didn't know the details of what had happened between she and Logan the last time they tried to be together and failed, but Keith had still been there for the aftermath on Logan's side, and well…it just hadn't been pretty. He imagined Veronica had gone through something of the like —sans all of the alcohol Logan had put inside himself of course…

"You didn't talk to him," Keith pointed out in a low voice at last.

Veronica nodded her head to herself. "I know." She answered simply. "But I can't do it, you know? I…I don't know, I just can't…" She confessed honestly knowing she was being selfish but still knowing herself well enough to know that if she cave in and talked to Logan, then chances were she'd never want to stop talking to him and seeing him again. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Keith told her quickly.

"Why did you end up being Logan's emergency contact? Can you just tell me that?" Even when Veronica made them all swear they wouldn't talk to her about Logan at all years ago, this time she needed her Dad to break that promise. She wanted —she _needed_ to know how that happened –she'd been dying to know ever since Logan's doctor informed everybody he would only be speaking to Keith.

On the other end of the line, Keith let out a breath before speaking. "You've been gone for a long time, Veronica," Her Dad told her as though she wasn't painfully aware of the fact. "And while this was the first time you got the call saying something was wrong with him, it definitely wasn't the first time for some of us down here in Neptune…" He explained as delicately as he could, knowing hearing this would hurt Veronica. "There was this one time almost a year ago that the Doctors had to pump his stomach and kept him in the hospital for days —I heard about it and went to the hospital to see him. It was bad, only Mac and that Casablancas kid friend of his were at the hospital. They were over their heads making Logan's medical decisions, so I told them I'd do it —it wasn't as I didn't have any experience raising difficult kids," There was a smile on his face as Keith said that, but it was a sad smile.

Veronica sighed.

"I'm the one the hospital calls every time Logan ends up there ever since…"

Veronica didn't know she was crying until a couple of tears fell to her face and she felt the salty taste on her lips. She wiped her face quickly before clearing her throat. Veronica wanted to bad to tell him he should have told her. But the truth was that Keith only did what Veronica so strongly asked him to do —keep her away from anything that related Logan.

Never did she imagine things had gotten so bad for him though. "Are you still at the hospital?"

Keith shook his head even though Veronica couldn't see him. "Nope. I'm already home —called you when I noticed your car wasn't here."

Veronica nodded to herself. "You talked to Logan?"

"He's better —he was making egomaniac comments before I left so I'm guessing he's feeling better now…"

Veronica took in the information slowly before letting out a breath. "I am sorry I just left Daddy." She told him at last with a sad smile on her face. "I…I'm still driving to LA now, so…can I call you when I get home?" She asked not really wanting to talk about this anymore.

Keith stayed quiet for a moment or two, making her wait as he made up his mind; to push her more or not? Maybe just not. "Sure honey. Be safe, I love you,"

"I love you, too. Bye," And with that she hung the phone and started up the car again.

Veronica wasn't strong enough to see or hear about Logan again. She certainly hadn't been strong enough to see him and pretend he was just an ex she could see and give her sympathies before going back to her life. Nope. He was fucking Logan Echolls and things with him were never simple. Never.[S1]

* * *

**_TBC! Thank you so much for reading! Hope you liked it! :)_**


	3. You&Me - Chapter Three

**You&Me - Chapter Three**

* * *

_Veronica wasn't even completely sure what she intended to do when she saw Logan; she wanted to scream at him so bad, but mostly she was hoping for him to tell her it wasn't true…or perhaps even an explanation, a really damn good explanation, something that could explain just why in the world he could have done something like that to her._

_When she arrived at his suite, Logan was sitting on the bed, completely dressed up with a perfect suit, shirt, and tie. Sadly enough, the night so wasn't going to go as he'd planned it. When Logan heard her steps, he looked up at her from the bed as he was still trying to put in his cufflinks._

_Logan noted immediately her outfit. "__Jeans. Bold choice. I hope the maître d' is fashion-forward." He commented casually, not realizing Veronica's teary eyes and the way she protectively wrapped her arms tightly around her body before speaking to him._

_"Did you and Madison have sex over winter break?_

_Logan looked up at her at those words, he was shocked, hell, almost horrified that Veronica was calling him in on that. He couldn't give her an answer right away, so his dropped his head._

_Veronica felt her eyes even hotter with tears in that moment; she knew the answer to her question from his face. "I asked you point-blank." She cried brokenly, while Logan struggled to keep himself together._

_"And I lied." He finally stood up from the bed, and started walking towards Veronica. "Point-blank. It wasn't information that you had a right to know. I knew you wouldn't be able to deal with the Madison thing."_

_His words in all honesty, were only making Veronica angrier with him. "Which thing are you talking about? The 'she roofied me' thing or the thing when I stumbled to my car in the morning, wondering where my virginity was, and she'd written 'slut' on my windshield? Was that what you thought I couldn't deal with? I am so genuinely sick right now. If I could have eaten anything today, I'd be throwing up all over your floor." Veronica shook her head before turning and starting to walk away from Logan._

_She was slipping from him right then and Logan at that point had already lost his cool, and was desperate for her to just hear him out. It honestly wasn't as Veronica was trying to make it out to be, she was angry, he got that, she had every right to be in all fairness, but still Logan couldn't just let her go like that. "We were broken up at the time." That was a stupid and lame excuse, but Logan was seriously feeling desperate as he spoke._

_Veronica in any case did turn around at his words, but her pained face told him those words did very little for her. "You know how I feel about her!" She accused him in a broken cry. "There's no way that, at some point while **it** was happening, that you weren't thinking about how much I'd hate you being with her."_

_"It wasn't like that–"_

_Veronica couldn't believe those words though. "No? Do you want another variation?" She pointed at her pounding head as she spoke, the tears in her eyes now making her vision blurry. "'Cause I've got a million sickening scenarios running on a loop right now." That was true, and it really was making her sick. She could see them, Veronica could see Logan and Madison being naked and giggling, and the thought alone made her want to puke right then and there._

_"__I wasn't trying to hurt you." Logan tried speaking softly, and walking closer to her, but Veronica backed away from him as quickly as she could._

_"Oh. Really? Imagine if you tried." She told him coldly turning around again to walk out, but still one more time, Logan followed her, and stopped her with his words._

_"What do you want me to do? What can I do?"_

_Logan could see then the exact moment when the fight in Veronica vanished. Her lip quivered as she told him then sincerely what it would take to make this better again._

_"Make it not true?" Her voice cracked at her impossible request. "Get it out of my head and never let me think about it again? 'Cause…unless you can do that, this is something I'm never getting past."_

Veronica remembered that time as she turned away from him and attempted to leave yet again, Logan actually let her. She remembered walking to the elevator with tears falling from her eyes and a sob dangerously trying to escape her throat. She made it to the car before breaking down at last. Veronica actually could remember staying in the parking lot of the Neptune Grand for almost half an hour trying to compose herself.

Hell, if she was being honest to herself she had to admit she was half-heartedly hoping he'd come after her. That never happened though, and if history served Veronica right, things with Logan after that only went from bad to worse…

It felt so stupid to her right now, _never getting past it, _wow, she'd been a little dramatic back then, no? The fact that Logan had slept with Madison meant oh-so little to Veronica right now…so much for _never_ getting over it…

She sighed closing her eyes for a few seconds as she waited for that so called boss of her to come and yell at her for once and for all.

Veronica couldn't seem to care though; even if she'd left Neptune at least twelve hours ago, she still couldn't stop thinking about those she left behind there.

And even that thought was full of bullshit, she couldn't stop thinking about Logan fucking Echolls and that was the truth…as sad and pathetic as that was.

"Mars,"

Veronica rose to her feet immediately as her name was called by Detective Wiley. She looked warily at him as he walked past her and sat down behind his desk. He sat down and motioned Veronica to do it as well. "One day these shenanigans you keep pulling on us are going to cost you your job, you understand that, right?"

Veronica pursed her lips as she tried her hardest not to roll her eyes at that statement. "I was gone for 36 hours," She tried to explain herself, but Wiley stopped her waving a hand before him.

"You know that's not why you are here," —Blowing off work the day before was Veronica's least problem honestly— "You are here because you are reckless, and impulsive. You could've been really hurt the other day if you hadn't been so lucky. What if Spelling had been in the house when you snuck in? The guy carries a gun with him and you knew that, you could've been hurt…" He scolded Veronica seriously shaking his head at her.

Wiley's eyes fixed onto hers as though he was waiting for an apology from her or something.

Veronica couldn't do that though. "But I wasn't," She retorted childishly.

Wiley couldn't help the groan and escaped him right before he made his hand a fist and slammed it strongly onto his desk.

Veronica was startled but regained her fake cool quickly enough.

Wiley wasn't going to stand that kind of crap from her though. "You are delusional if you think I won't fire you if you keep this up," He warned her in all seriousness. "You are good, we all know that, but so are hundreds of other wannabe detectives like you —You are a rookie Mars, you do not get to call the shots, you don't get to act solo, you most certainly don't get to disobey my orders. I'm the boss, so one way or the other you are going to learn to follow protocol…" Wiley shook his head again as his eyes fell to his desk and he eyed some of the paperwork there.

Veronica stared at him angrily but didn't pronounce a word until Wiley then said what she'd known he'd say all along. "You are suspended…"

She let out a breath at his words, but didn't refute them for once.

"Do not come back for…at least a couple of weeks, Veronica," He said, and while his words still carried cold and serious, Veronica knew he'd dropped the fight the moment he called her by her first name.

She allowed herself to soften her features slightly then too. "What about Lilia? Can you tell me what's going to happen to her before I leave?"

Detective Wiley rolled his eyes at Veronica, but still cave in. "She has reunited with her parents by now, but she still isn't opening up. Her parents wanted more but to take her to Chicago with them, but she's not having any of that. I don't really know what's going to happen with her…" Wiley admitted softly before a steady silence settled between them for a moment.

Veronica looked at him worrying for Lilia before Wiley suddenly got up from his seat and started ushering her out of his office. "Get out of my hair now –I need to think if this is going on your record or not…" It wasn't going to go, he had already decided that, but Veronica didn't need to know that yet.

She looked at him uneasily before letting out a breath and dropping her head. "Fine, I'll go…" She agreed reluctantly, as she stepped out of the office. Wiley didn't even look at her twice before closing his door as soon as Veronica was out.

She couldn't help then but groan and ran a hand over her tired eyes and face. Great, seriously, this was just the greatest thing —unwelcomed free time was sure to do wonders with her already screwed up head, no?

Damn it!

xxxx

Veronica stayed home for a grand total of 52hours before she ran into trouble again —or better yet, before trouble came, literally, knocking on her door. If she was honest, she had to admit she had been going crazy on that forced leave her boss had put her through —she wasn't to go back to work for fourteen whole days, and that was nearly driving her crazy. One part of her wanted more but to pack up her bags and drive back to Neptune, but she knew better, she knew Neptune was trouble, and as uncharacteristically of her as it was, she was trying to shy away from that.

Whom was she kidding though —she was shying away from _Logan_ and that was the truth. She was afraid to see him again, and learn just how deep into his darkness he'd fallen this time.

Luckily enough —_or maybe unluckily enough?_— the knock on Veronica's door came at the 52nd hour mark and at first she actually welcomed the distraction from her wallowing on her past…

The moment Veronica opened the door though, she realized immediately that this wasn't the kind of distraction she should be welcoming into her place. "What are you doing here?" Veronica spoke sounding surprised to say the least. What the heck was she doing here?

Lilia in any case just shrugged her shoulders, as the petite brunette looked over Veronica's shoulder and into the apartment. "Are you going to let me in?"

Veronica froze for a moment then and the words didn't form —she looked strangely at Lilia before finally nodding and stepping aside. "How did you find where I lived?" Oh man, this was bad. Veronica was so going to get into even more trouble with this girl here. What if her boss thought she had something to do with it? What if Wiley thought she'd made Lilia come somehow? What if she actually lost her job because of this? Oh God!

Lilia was looking around Veronica's living room before turning to look at the tiny blonde. "You are in the book,"

"Oh," Veronica let out simply —apparently it didn't take a detective these days to find out where one lived. "You shouldn't be here though. What do you think you are doing? Where are your parents? Do they even know you are here? What are you thinking kid?"

Lilia looked at Veronica confused at the amount of questions that were being thrown her way. "I left a note, so the parents know I'm gone. I just…I don't know…I felt trapped, I needed to get out, and well, I knew I'd be safe with you…"

Veronica shook her head ever so slightly at Lilia's words. She felt for this girl, she really did, but that still didn't mean she agreed with her. "You are safe right now," Veronica assured Lilia seriously. "But do you also understand that it's my duty to take you back to your parents, right?"

Lilia groaned at those words, and sat down on the closest couch covering her face with both her hands.

Veronica let out an uneasy breath at her whimpers, and after a beat, took a seat by her. "How about I let you stay for a while, but…we still need to call them and let them know you are safe first? What do you say?"

Lilia turned her head slowly towards Veronica, and after a small moment, nodded her head. "Okay,"

"Okay," Veronica echoed as she got up from the couch and went to get her home phone. She handed it over to Lilia and waited until she called and started speaking with her parents. Once Lilia was busy talking, Veronica went and grabbed her cell phone and started dialing herself. She hated to do this, but she knew she had to.

"Hello Sir," Veronica mumbled into the phone when Detective Wiley picked up. He was of course upset by Veronica's words, but at the same time, Veronica knew he was slightly relieved knowing Lilia was safe with Veronica, and not lost somewhere in Los Angeles.

"You stay with her, okay Mars? Don't leave her alone until her parents get her, understood?"

"Understood Sir," Veronica answered seriously before hanging up the phone. Veronica let out a small breath before moving back to Lilia on the living room. "What did they tell you?"

Lilia looked up at Veronica quietly for a good moment before shrugging. "They were upset, but still agreed to let me stay for a while. They still just don't get it, Veronica," Lilia told the blonde, shaking her head. Her voice quiet and almost broken. "I honestly don't want to get you in trouble, but you are the only person I feel comfortable with, you know? I don't know why, but that's how it is anyway…"

Veronica nodded her head slowly at Lilia. "So I take it, it's not going well with your parents?"

Lilia formed a grimace on her face. "It's not going bad bad," She told Veronica uneasy. "It's just…I don't know, I think they want me to be certain way, you know? Be the girl they lost all those years ago. That's the tricky part, because I am most definitely not that person. I don't like the food they insist I love, I don't care about the things they tell me I used to love, I just…I'm not that person and they don't get it…"

Veronica could actually understand what this girl so desperately was trying to make her understand. "Did you guys go to therapy yet?"

Lilia nodded her head. "Only twice. It helps I guess, but it is still just very awkward for me to be around my own parents. How messed up is that?"

Very –Veronica thought but didn't say it aloud. "What do you think will help?"

"I dunno," Lilia mumbled looking down at her shaking hands. "I guess I just want time, you know? Time to figure out who I am again, time to figure out what I like again…I just want time and not feel all the pressure I feel from them all the time…"

That actually sounded quite fair for Veronica —she really did deserve at least as much. "That sounds fair to me…" Veronica told Lilia understandingly. "Have you told your parents this is how you feel?" Lilia shook her head slowly in response. "Well, maybe you should. Most than likely they are feeling just as lost as you are right now —they don't know how to act around you anymore either, I promise you that. They know they are happy to have you back, but I think it would be an understatement to say that it will take time, a lot of time, for things to resemble any bit of normal for you and your parents again kid…"

Lilia looked at Veronica guardedly for a good few seconds, before she sighed deeply and brought her eyes downs from those blue ones of Veronica. "I don't want to sound like a bitch, because I _am _very _very _happy to be with them again, and see them, and…just be away from that hell that my life was for so long—,"

"But," Veronica offered, sensing the _but_ that was about to follow all those words.

Lilia groaned ever so slightly before nodding at Veronica. "But every time that we are together I find myself just counting down the minutes till I can go back to my room and be alone…I'm…I'm a horrible person," She concluded aloud looking uneasily in Veronica's direction.

Veronica in any case, chose to shake her head decisively at Lilia. "You are not. You are just having a hard time adjusting. That's not only expected, but completely okay. It'll pass…" Veronica promised softly as she moved to sit right by Lilia, and quite awkwardly, placed on of her arms around this young girl's frame.

It surprised Veronica then when Lilia leaned in into her embrace, and nestled her head on Veronica's chest. Veronica sighed but still didn't move until Lilia did it first. "You think I'm a mess?"

"Yup," Veronica answered simply knowing there was no point in lying. Lilia's face fell but there was still a slight smile on her face. Veronica matched the smile and nodded. "But so are at least half the people on this planet, so please don't go feeling special," Lilia laughed softly at her words, making Veronica smile at her own little accomplishment.

It hit her then too that she was being world's worst host. "God, I haven't offered you anything. Are you thirsty, hungry? I have…you know, water, and diet coke I think?"

Lilia chuckled as Veronica got up from the couch and walked toward the little kitchen area. "Water would do," She called as Veronica disappeared behind her refrigerator's door.

"I also got some apples and strawberries and stuff, you want any of that?" Veronica asked, still with her head poking inside the fridge.

Lilia in any case didn't get the chance to answer the question before they both heard a knock on the door. Veronica looked up immediately from the contents of her fridge, and soon after her eyes were meeting Lilia's. "Do you think those are my parents already?"

"I really don't know," Veronica answered as she walked out of the kitchen and in the direction of her front door. She looked through the peephole, and a teeny itsy bitsy smile made its way to her face. "You're safe kid, not your parents all right…" Veronica mumbled as she opened her door slowly.

Lilia got up to see who it was at the door, and was surprised to see a boy right there. She couldn't help but smile at the way Veronica's cheeks suddenly turned a subtle shade of pink as that mysterious guy leaned in to kiss her on the lips.

Veronica felt so awkward right then; if the earth wanted to open up and swallow her, that would actually be just fine by her. "Hey Josh," She whispered to him before turning to look at Lilia quickly and glaring at her for snickering behind her back. "This is Lilia," Veronica introduced him casually even though she knew he'd realize sooner rather than later who this girl really was.

And sure enough, before even looking at Lilia properly, Josh looked down at Veronica and narrowed her eyes. "As in—"

"Yes," Veronica cut him off quickly before he could say whatever. She ushered him in all the way and closed the door behind him as Josh slowly walked to Lilia and offered her a smile. "Josh Brian, nice to meet you," He said politely, extending one hand for Lilia to shake.

He was huge —at least that much Lilia could tell as she shyly reached out her own hand to shake this man's. Holy cow, when he stood beside Veronica she looked much tinier that she already was. Talk about significant height difference. "Lilia," She said to him anyway before smiling back. "Are you her boyfriend?" She blurted out the question then in spite of Veronica's glares in her direction.

Josh turned to Veronica before answering the young girl before him. In the end, he just nodded and shrugged his shoulders at Lilia —truth was, Veronica was more than his girlfriend, but for the time being that label would have to do. "Something of the sort —she likes to call me in every time she's lonely," And now that actually wasn't a complete lie, but that was some other day story.

Veronica groaned and walked to them pulling Josh to her. "I thought you had a shift tonight?"

Josh in all honesty couldn't help but roll his eyes at her —they hadn't seen each other in like five days and this was the welcome she was giving him? Well, sure she had company but still… "I do. Thought I'd come by to check on you before heading to the hospital,"

Veronica suddenly felt guilty but still tried to shrug it off. "That's very thoughtful," She admitted with a nod. "But I told you over the phone I was fine…and I am…" She repeated just in case. He was worried because she was suspended, but he really shouldn't…Veronica was fine…sure she was…

Josh knew better than to argue that statement, so instead of answering, he looked around the apartment and couldn't help a chuckle. "See you've done some cleaning around?"

Oh man, she was so guilty of that. During the last 52hours of suspension, Veronica had managed to clean every last little corner of her apartment. It was a habit by now, every time life felt out of sorts, and she felt out of control, cleaning was so the way to go. "Oh I have," She chuckled actually liking seeing him smile at her in spite of her obvious rudeness of today. "I'm pretty sure you can perform major surgery in any of my floors right now, and it'd be just as an OR," She added making both Josh and Lilia chuckle at her words.

Veronica went back to business soon enough though. "I was getting her some water, you want something?" She asked walking back into the kitchen.

Josh eyed her as she left, but still shook his head. "I gotta run. Just came to say hi quickly." He explained as he followed her. "You holding up okay?"

Veronica looked up from the glass she was holding, and while it took her a moment, she nodded at him. "Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry," She assured him softly.

Josh wasn't really buying that, but it wasn't as if he actually had time to comfort Veronica right now very much —he had after all a 48hour shift at the hospital in front of him, and time spent here was time lost at the hospital, so for now, he must have to pretend to believe Veronica's words.

"I'd call you tonight if I get a moment," Josh promised, but Veronica knew most likely that call would never come. Being a surgical intern wasn't just anybody's business and she got that —she liked it even. She liked that he understood both their jobs were important and demanding, hence, they hardly ever fought about one missing a date because of work, or even ditching the other over an interesting case at work. They were both committed to their work, and for better or for worse, it worked out just fine between them like that.

"Sure," Veronica whispered as Josh came closer and leaned down to kiss her. She kissed him back softly but still pulled back quickly enough. For some reason she wasn't liking her own PDA in front of Lilia. "Go ahead now; you don't wanna be late…" Veronica said then in a much normal tone of voice as she patted him on the chest slightly.

He slightly rolled his eyes at her before walking back out into the adjacent living area. "It was nice meeting you," Josh said in Lilia's direction, before heading to the front door. Something however caught his eye before he could leave. "You are going anywhere V?" He asked loud enough so Veronica could hear him.

There was still her suitcase tucked under the dining room table and Josh had absolutely seen it. Crap.

Veronica poked her head out of the kitchen and looked apologetically at him —Oops, did she forget to mention she'd been in Neptune just three days ago? Oh well…

"I was thinking about visiting my dad for a few days," Now, well, that was a lie, but wasn't completely untrue. Veronica could be an even bigger liar if she denied how much she'd been wanting to take that suitcase and go back to Neptune as fast as her car could take her. Maybe that was also the reason she hadn't been able to unpack that suitcase and instead was keeping it all too close to the front door in case craziness took over and she decided to make that drive to Neptune again.

"You know, since I'm suspended," She added when Josh made a face at her words. As far as he knew Veronica didn't visit her dad, _he _visited every time…

Oh well…he'd have to ask her about it some other day because as of now he was already late to his shift. "Right," He answered at last. "You should go then. God knows you've clean already everything there was to be cleaned in this place, so…maybe a break will do you good…" He spoke with a smile before opening the front door. "Text me if you decide to go so I know not to stop by…" He added after Veronica nodded at him.

She smiled and then just as he came, Josh left, and Veronica and Lilia were back alone again. Lilia was making a suspicious face at Veronica when the blonde turned to look at her. "What is it? Do I have monkeys on my face?" She told her sarcastically yet not too mean.

Lilia shook her head in any case. "I have an idea,"

"What's that?"

"You are going on that trip, right? What if I go with you?"

Veronica was almost sure Lilia's eyes were shining with excitement for the first time since she'd met her as she spoke her 'brilliant' idea.

"Think about it Veronica, it'd be perfect. I'd be away from LA, I'd be away from my parents, I'd be safe cause I'd be with you, but most importantly, I'd get some time to think and be away! Please Veronica, please take me with you!"

Oh crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Veronica wasn't even taking that trip —she'd just told Josh that to explain her suitcase. She didn't really have any intension to follow to urge to go back home…No…

Crap.

What was Veronica supposed to do now? "Kid, kid stop!" Veronica called urgently when Lilia simply kept talking about how this was her best idea yet. She narrowed her eyes at Veronica when she cut off her words. "I never said I'm really going out of town," Veronica reminded her, and tried not to flinch when Lilia's face fell and she looked away from her. "I was just telling that to Josh," She added quietly. "But you have to understand, even if I did go, it would be pretty impossible for me to take you—"

"But why?" Lilia whined walking closer to where Veronica was standing. "It's like your fiancé said, it'd be a break from everything and that is exactly what I need,"

Veronica nodded at her understandingly, but still couldn't find it in herself to give in to this one. But wait, did Lilia just say _fiancé_? "How'd you know he was my fiancé?"

Lilia rolled her eyes and groaned loudly. "I only asked him if he was your boyfriend to see if he'd correct me. You have a ring mark on your left ring finger —as in you'd been engaged or married for a long time, and since I knew you weren't married, engaged was the way to go…doesn't really take a detective to figure that out Veronica…"

Veronica was a little bit stunned at those words, but still didn't have the time to retort, before Lilia was speaking again.

"But that wasn't my point, I…I want to know why you won't take me with you?"

Well, first off because Veronica really was trying her very best _not _to go back to Neptune any time soon. Secondly, well, it was just a bad idea all together. "It's not as if I don't want to take you, believe me, I would love to help you because I know you are going through a really rough patch, but…it's not that easy kid—"

"Would you please cut it out with kid!" Lilia said almost shouting then, taking Veronica aback. "I know you are older than me and all, but I am not a kid anymore. I'm 21, and even if you can't believe it, I know exactly what I'm asking you. I know it's douchy to up and leave my parents again after they just got me back, but you still don't get it, do you? I'm suffocating here. I _need _to get out, and this might as well be the best way of doing it…" Lilia let out a long breath as those final words came out of her mouth.

Veronica stared uneasily at her for a couple of minutes before walking to her and placing her hands on her shoulders, squaring Lilia to her. "Talk to your parents." Veronica told her seriously then. "Tell them everything you've told me today and then decide what you think its best. You are right, you are not a kid anymore, so if you want to come to Neptune with me…well, then maybe we can work something out…If I do the drive, then I'll probably be doing it tomorrow or the day after…" Oh man, what in the world was she doing? Shit! What happened with all her tirade about _not _going to Neptune…?

Shit. Shit. Shit.

In any case, at her words, a big smile made its way to Lilia's face. She didn't even care right now that Veronica was still calling her kid. "Thank you,"

"Oh no, don't thank me," Veronica urged her rapidly. "Talk to your parents, and then we'll see what we'd do…"

Deep down Veronica already knew it though…she was going back to Neptune…

* * *

**AN:** What do you think? No Logan in this chapter, I know, but that _will_ be fixed in the next chapter that is partly written already. Thank you so much for reading!

Also, 12 days...that is all ... :)


	4. You&Me - Chapter Four

**Author's Note : FIVE DAYS! **FIVE DAYS & a movie with such a long time coming will happen (to most of us at least) HA! Seriously folks, I don't know what I'm going to do with myself between today and Friday so...here's this chapter in the meantime! Thank you so much to all of you who keep reading and adding this story to your alerts and favs and stuff...Thank You! Hope you like it! :)

**You&Me - Chapter Four**

* * *

_This was bad —that much Veronica knew as the elevator slowly but surely took her to her destination. It felt like a Deja-vu of some kind —a terrible one at that. Only a few months ago she'd barged right into that same hotel hoping for an explanation from Logan. Right now however, she wasn't even expecting that, she honestly just wanted to scream at him —even if it wasn't fair at all._

_Surprising Veronica slightly, as the elevator door opened, someone she wasn't expecting to run into today, appeared right before her. Parker unlike her didn't look so surprised to see her though. "What?" She asked Veronica with a shrug of her shoulder. "Did he send up a flare?"_

_Veronica then just stared at her confused. _

_"He's all yours, Veronica…" Parker said in something just above a whisper. _

_Veronica in any case was fast to answer then. "Trust me. Not why I'm here." She told her strongly._

_Parker sighed deeply before stepping towards the empty elevator. "__You know, it doesn't even matter anymore."_

_Veronica didn't get a chance to say anything else before Parker disappeared behind the elevator's door as it close._

_Veronica continued watching in her direction, before sighing and carrying on with what she came to do here in the first place. _

_She knocked on the door quickly and strongly and only a second after that, Dick opened the door._

_"Where is he?" Veronica asked him sharply not caring only single bit about making small talk with Dick right now. Her face was set hard, and Dick was quick to recognize she wasn't playing around._

_He didn't even utter a word, but simply pointed Veronica in the direction of Logan's room. _

_Veronica wasn't then slowly to march inside the loft, but before she headed to Logan's room, she stopped turning around and pointing firmly at Dick. "You! Don't leave. We're having a little chat after."_

_Veronica strode onwards then, leaving Dick looking more than a little confused. When Veronica reached Logan's room, he was standing by the window, but turned around to face her immediately as she walked in._

_"He's having trouble breathing because of his ribs. He got five stitches over his eye."_

_Veronica's words did very little for Logan in that moment —he was pissed and in all seriousness, five stiches sounded like nothing compared to everything that Piz guy deserved._

_"Only five?"_

_His question made Veronica even angrier with him. "You're a lunatic." She told him disgustedly._

_Logan was having none of that though. "You didn't know he was taping you?"_

_"B__ecause he didn't!" She insisted shouting at him furiously._

_Logan wasn't slow then to grow angry as well. "Oh, come on, Veronica. Who else would have or could have done that?" He told her strongly matching her shouting tone._

_"__Here's what I know: it wasn't Piz, and it could not be less of your business." Veronica by then was already feeling out of sorts and the back and forth screaming wasn't helping._

_"__Aren't we trying to be friends?" Logan asked her back seriously, taking a few steps closer to her. "As your friend, I was angry at what happened to you. Someone's always supposed to pay, right? Isn't that the rule we live by?"_

_Veronica shook her head at that. "__We tried to be friends, and it didn't work." She told him seriously not missing a beat, though her voice did quaver slightly. "This is the moment, Logan, right now, where it's just done. You're out of my life…forever…" Veronica's eyes glistened as she looked at him for just another moment before turning around on her heels and walking out of that room for good._

_Logan on the other hand simply watched as Veronica turned back but only to slam close the double doors of his room. _

_He could still hear her outside his room talking to Dick, but in that moment Logan was feeling to prideful himself to go to her and try to fix this in any way. She wanted him out of her life, then that was what she was going to get._

_He was trying to stick up for her, and still all he got was the blame and hatred from Veronica —great, seriously, just great…_

"Logan…"

Logan wasn't sure if he was grateful at the voice waking him up or mad at her —On the one hand this wasn't a particular good dream at all –Logan hated that night with every bit of himself and thinking about it only made him remember of yet another time he'd screwed things up with Veronica badly.

On the other hand however, he had been dreaming about _Veronica_, and that alone wasn't completely terrible –after all it was in his dreams the only time the two of them happened to talk —or better yet, fight, but still…at the very least it was something and Logan however dreaming, got to hear her voice…

He was wide-awake now though so however way his dream could have ended, would have to wait for another night.

"Logan!"

"Stop it, I'm awake…" He growled at last opening his eyes to look at her. "What are you doing here?" He asked her sounding more annoyed than he really was.

Mac in any case, simply grinned at him as Logan finally opened his eyes properly, and looked in her direction. "What can I say, you are _that_ irresistible, I couldn't stay away,"

Logan rolled his eyes at her, yet also couldn't help the tiny smile on his face. "So it's your turn to babysit me? Is that it?"

Mac made a face and shrugged. Yeah, that was pretty much it. For some reason Dick had been adamant about them all taking turns checking up on Logan, so this morning it had been her turn to babysit their common friend.

"Well, be happy I agreed to come, because according to your boyfriend Dick, Papa Mars was supposed to come and help you go pee pee Logan —so you can thank me now, or whenever you see fit love," She said jokingly with a smile.

Logan one more time rolled his eyes, but at the same time did appreciate Mac was the one here and not "_Papa Mars_" – "Speaking of Mars…Veronica was here, wasn't she?"

And then, all of a sudden, all color drained from Mac's face and she looked at Logan with wide eyes.

"Man, I was just asking a question…" Logan tried to sound casual as he started pulling the covers off himself. He swung his legs to the side of the bed as slowly the color started coming back to Mac's cheeks. He sighed. "If I were hoping for the awkward silence I would have gone with a comment about the drunk driving incident, or even something about that time I caught you in be—"

"Shut up already!" Mac cried exasperated. Boy, he could be such a pain in the ass sometimes. "I do not talk about Veronica. You know that, so…just stop, you idiot…" She told him sharply as she then helped him up from the hospital bed.

Logan honestly really didn't need the help walking the tiny distance to the bathroom, but given Mac seemed really mad about his comment, he was going to just let her do as she pleased.

However, before they even reached the bathroom, Logan looked down at her just as Mac sighed and shook her head. She then stopped walking altogether and turned her eyes up to meet Logan's. "I called her." She volunteered the information then painfully. "We –we were really worried about you this time, so…I don't know, I called her, and…she showed up…"

Logan looked down at his feet as he slowly took in those words —he in all honesty couldn't help but feel surprised she'd actually came —especially given the way they left things the last time they had seen each other. "Yet she didn't stay…"

Mac looked up at him and shrugged helplessly. "I gave up trying to understand Veronica a long long time ago…" She told him honestly before resuming walking with him in the direction of the small bathroom. "For what is worth, I had my doubts…"

Logan looked back at her confused. "About what?"

"That she would actually come…" Mac elaborated simply. "I'm telling you, the last time Veronica drunk-vent about you she didn't sound happy with you at all dude…" Mad told him in serious tone. "I don't know what exactly you did to her, but even though for months I thought it'd been her who dumped your sorry ass again, she sounded pretty scorned that night as well…" Never mind at the time she was already engaged to current-hottie doctor —but the Logan bashing had been strong and full of hurt that night nonetheless…

Mac had seen first-hand Logan's side of the break up and given the ugliness of it, she'd came to the conclusion it had been Veronica once again the one to break things off. However, after that one special afternoon with that bottle of tequila at Veronica's place months later, Mac had started doubting her theory given how hung up on the break up Veronica still appeared to be as well.

"If you ever repeat what I just told you, I may have to kill you,"

Logan snorted, but still made the motion with his fingers as though he was zipping his lips shut. Mac nodded at that. "Go piss already then!" She told him after a beat making Logan chuckle slightly when they –finally- reached the bathroom. She was talking a lot more than she should, and she knew it.

Logan in any case, just nodded and walked into the bathroom after giving Mac one last look. If only he could tell her what had really gone down between him and Veronica that last time. One thing was for sure though, it had been ugly…

"How are you feeling anyway?"

Mac's question from the other side of the bathroom door, broke Logan's thoughts as he brushed his teeth with one hand. He shrugged to himself looking at his reflection in the mirror —to say it wasn't a pretty picture was an understatement. Considering the magnitude of the crash, Logan knew he'd gotten out of it pretty untouched though. Sure, he had the few couple of ribs and bones to remind him of the accident, but it could have been so much worse and he was well aware of the fact.

"I'm peachy pumpkin," He told her sarcastically through the door. Truth was he wasn't in so much pain anymore —at least not physically. He ached but for reasons completely different than the injuries from the crash. He was through with being here at this hospital though. Logan couldn't honestly get out of here fast enough. However, apparently the doctor —or should he say _Dick_, wanted him to stay under observation for a few more days though…

Oh well…

"You could make me a favor, and go assure Dick I will under any circumstances drive a car or attempt in any way to my life any time soon, would you?" Logan added as an afterthought after he finished his business in the bathroom and stepped out.

Mac was looking at him as though he were nuts when they laid eyes on each other again. "You were almost killed. Dick has a reason to worry…"

Logan shrugged.

"You really don't care, do you?" This time when Mac asked him the question, every little bit of jest that had been in her voice since she woke him up that morning vanished. She was death serious, and while Logan wished he could tell her otherwise, he chose not to.

Instead he shifted his eyes away from hers and walked back to the bed.

Mac hung her head and let out a breath. "I have to head to work, but…you know…call if you need anything…" She told him sincerely.

Logan in any case just barely looked at her as he nodded.

Mac was already almost out the door when she heard Logan's voice again —she didn't like what she heard though.

"Have you spoken with her since she left?"

Mac turned to look back at Logan with an uneasy look on her face. She touched her face and shook her head at Logan after a beat. "I won't talk about Veronica anymore," She told him soundly slightly sad. She shrugged at him. "I'm sorry Logan, but I'd really prefer to pull myself out of this equation. I spoke today more than I should, but that still doesn't mean I'll keep doing it, got it?"

Logan faintly smiled at her. "Got it," He said simply, making Mac nod. "Thank you, Mac…"

One more time Mac shrugged her shoulders at him and offered him an apologetic smile —she wanted, but she honestly couldn't speak anymore. If only Logan knew what she did though —Oh my…Mac had indeed spoken to Veronica and well…considering Veronica was probably already driving to Neptune, perhaps she and Logan would stop this avoiding dance sooner rather than later…

Mac was sure of one thing though —the sooner they stopped the idiotic dance, the better —not just for them, but for everybody else around them who had had to put up with the stupidity of those two idiots for such a long time already…

xxxx

"So Neptune huh?"

Veronica rolled her eyes at Lilia's words. Even if right now she was driving her car, with a trunk full of suitcases and a 21-year-old sitting on her passenger seat, Veronica still could hardly believe she was actually doing it. Why? She had no clue in hell. She'd let Lilia convince her with her sad eyes and pouty lips for sure. She wanted to help this kid, that was for sure, but as of that precise moment, Veronica wasn't sure anymore if helping Lilia had been just an excuse for her to finally do this trip back to Neptune.

According to her Dad, Logan was still in the hospital —Veronica hadn't been able to ask more than that when she talked to Keith the night before. She told him some things about Lilia and just why she was supposedly doing this trip for a few days. She promised her dad she was doing this only because she had to, and not because she wanted to. Veronica insisted time and again that this trip was just to help Lilia and nothing more.

Veronica knew however, that no one would believe her. Hell, she didn't even believe herself, but still she was going to keep telling people her '_reasons'_ until at least someone bought them as true…

"Yeah, Neptune California…" Veronica answered at last, watching out of the corner of her eye as Lilia looked at a road map. "We are going to be staying at my Dad's house, got it?"

"Got it," Lilia answered seriously, looking at Veronica behind the wheel. "Did you grow up there?"

"Yup," Veronica replied without giving out a lot of details —any really. She didn't like talking about Neptune with strangers, and while she understood Lilia was far from a stranger at this point, Veronica still felt wary about sharing details of her personal life…

This kid knew already a lot as it was…

"Listen, after we get there, I'm going to drop you off at my Dad's so you can settle down and everything, okay?"

Lilia nodded her head at that, but still her eyes narrowed with curiosity. "Where are you going to be?"

"What? Me? Nowhere, why?"

Lilia rolled her eyes feeling slightly annoyed. "Ugh, you said you'd drop me off, meaning you are going somewhere without me? Where's that?"

Veronica let out a breath. "I just need to do something, but you'll be okay. My dad's not working today so he'll be around if you need anything while I'm gone," Veronica explained as she looked carefully at the exits on the freeway. "I won't be gone for long, so if anything, enjoy the little sans-Veronica time, kay?"

Lilia chuckled slightly before nodding her head. "Thank you Veronica," She said then after a moment in a quiet voice. Truth was, Veronica doing this for her —in spite of whatever trouble it might get her— meant a lot to Lilia.

Veronica in any case just looked at Lilia with a tiny smile, and nodded. Oh well, at least she liked the kid…

xxxx

The truth of the matter was; Logan was in all seriousness not expecting to see Veronica standing there the way he did. Nope —not at all. Especially not after the conversation he had with Mac earlier —if Veronica was in town, she would have told him, no?

Apparently, no though, because out of nowhere as Logan stepped out of the bathroom, there she was, sitting awkwardly on the visitors couch waiting for him.

Veronica rose to her feet almost immediately as he walked into the room though, but still their eyes didn't meet right away.

Logan looked at her cautiously from head to toe before clearing his throat. He couldn't do this —he couldn't take her pity and pretend the last few years hadn't happened. Truth was, she had every right in the world not to want to be here —to hate him even. To wish _she _never had to see him again. She had hurt him, of course she had, but…Logan had hurt her too and in more terrible ways. In ways he knew he would never be able enough to forgive himself.

"It's okay; you don't have to do this. I know you hate me."

Veronica looked up at him as Logan spoke. They were still standing on opposite sides of the hospital room, and while Veronica did feel as though she needed to be close to him, she made herself stay put. She shrugged her shoulders at him then. "I don't hate you," She told him in a small voice yet meaning it. When she looked up again, she managed to catch his eye quickly before Logan shook his head and let out a shaky breath.

They hadn't really seen each other in almost three years, and in spite of everything, Veronica wasn't glad the first words they spoke to each other were about hating the other. She let out a breath as well, putting down her weapons —at least for now. "I'm glad you are alive, Logan…" She told him honestly.

Logan looked up at her eyes, and for the first time, neither made an effort to shift their eyes away from the other's. "Well, that makes one of us…" He said before he could stop himself.

Veronica shook her head clearly mortified at those words. "Logan," She said his name alone hoping that'd be enough for him to change his mind.

She was looking at him sadly as she started biting on her lip strongly. Logan ran a hand through his hair before letting out an almost bitter chuckle. "You can't take a joke anymore, I see…" He said trying hard to light up the mood again.

Veronica looked his way uneasily, before shrugging. She was uncomfortable in her own skin right now —things with Logan usually were…not easy per se, but they usually did fall into their normal banter and rhythm pretty easily. In the past, even when they have gone years even without seeing one another, the moment they laid eyes on the other it was as though no time had passed.

This time however, well, it was just different, and not in a good way.

"How come you are back?" Last Logan had seen of her, Veronica had been slipping out of that very room without even looking at him, let alone talking to him. Something must have changed, and he was curious as to what was that.

"Do you really have to ask?" Veronica asked him back, trying for the first time that day for a smirk in Logan's direction as she spoke. "Where would you be if the roles had been reversed? Would you be out living life or by me if a bad accident happened and all my tiny bones had broken into even tinier little bones?"

At that Logan in all honesty couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his mouth. "Point taken, Veronica," He told her with a smile that Veronica easily matched.

So maybe they were still themselves, but just needed a little time to warm up? Veronica was counting on that to be truth anyway.

"It's good to see you,"

And just then as he said those words, Veronica felt her heart beating a little bit faster and the only thing she wanted to do was walk all the way to him and wrap her arms around him.

It had been so so long and while the last time they saw each other hadn't been pretty, right about now she couldn't seem to care. "You too," Veronica choked out at last, before swallowing hard.

Logan stared at her for a good full minute before making his next move. Even after all this time he could still read Veronica —at least sometimes when she showed vulnerable enough like right now. He knew she was hurting, and sadly enough, Logan also knew _he _was —_again_— the reason of that hurting. "I am okay, Veronica," He assured her knowing that if the roles were reversed as she'd told him before; the one thing Logan would need to breathe again was to know for sure she was okay.

That was something he thought he'd made peace with years ago —even if Veronica wasn't with him, he wanted _her_ to be _okay…_as simple as that. He cared for her, and by the look of things, he always would.

And maybe, just maybe, that was true in Veronica's case too.

"You don't look okay," Veronica disagreed with him in any case —that wasn't very shocking though. "Why were you driving if you were drunk Logan? Are you stupid?"

Ouch, that hurt a little, but Logan couldn't tell her otherwise though. "I–God, Veronica, what do you want me to tell you? I wasn't thinking—"

"Well, of course you weren't!" Veronica snapped at him; her voice raising without her wanting it. "You could've been killed!" She just about shouted at him before at last shifting her eyes from his and looking down at the floor.

She shook her head and took a few deep breaths before watching as Logan's feet started moving closer to her. Before she knew it, Logan was standing right there before her, and all Veronica could do was look up at his eyes slowly. She shook her head disapprovingly at him. "You could have killed someone else…" She told him seriously, even though this time her voice was far softer than it'd been just seconds ago.

Logan looked down at her uneasily before letting out a long breath. "I know that," He told her matching her soft tone. "Did I mention I wasn't thinking? I wasn't V…" He tried forming a small smile Veronica welcomed with a roll of her eyes.

That made Logan smile in any case. "No you weren't Logan…" Veronica told him in something just above a whisper just as Logan took that last step toward her. Their eyes met and it didn't take Veronica more than that to know what was about to happen.

Logan gave her then enough time to step back, to show him in any way that she didn't want him to take the next step, but when Veronica did none of the above, Logan took it as though she wanted to feel him close just as he oh-so desperately needed to feel _her _close to him again after all this time.

Logan then easily wrapped his good arm around her tiny frame and rested his chin on her head as Veronica nestled into his chest with a sigh. Now _that _hug was the only thing that had felt almost normal from all this reunion with Logan. She'd felt awkward and out of place the whole time before this hug, but now…well, now having him close felt just like it always had.

Veronica's right hand moved up to rest on his chest, and she smiled at the beating of his heart —turned out it wasn't just hers the one that had started beating a little faster than normal. She chinned up slightly so that their eyes could meet. "I meant what I said before," She told him whispering. "I do not hate you," Veronica insisted then just because. She hadn't liked one little bit that Logan thought she did —she didn't. She never could.

"You believe me?"

Logan simply nodded his head at her slightly —of course he did, if she hated him there would have been no way in hell for him to be holding her in his arms right now. "I do," He whispered back after a moment.

"Do you?"

"What?" Logan asked her confused.

Veronica shrugged as the two of them slowly pulled back from each other. "Hate me?"

Logan rolled his eyes tremendously at those words —was she dumb or just pretending? "No," Logan assured her seriously anyway. "I…well we…we—"

"—We hurt each other," Veronica filled in for him knowingly.

"Yeah," Logan agreed with a small nod. "But that still doesn't change or erase all the history you and I have. I will always care about you —in spite of everything Veronica,"

Veronica simply nodded her head at his words —all that he said was exactly the way she felt about him too. "Ditto," She smiled when Logan patted her head and smirked when their eyes met again.

God, how in the world could they go from the most awkward and uncomfortable social situation, to _this, _huh?

Veronica then lifted up her hand to shoo Logan's hand off her head, but as she did that, Logan was faster than she was, and grabbed her left hand into his. His eyes fell to her fingers, and that alone was enough for both their smiles to fall.

Ugh, why didn't she take off the ring before getting in here?

"You still engaged I see…" Logan mumbled running slowly his thumb over her fingers and the engagement ring.

Veronica looked up at him biting her lip. "Yup…"

Logan let out a small chuckle before letting go of her hand. He took a deep breath before shaking his head and running his hand through his own hair. "I honestly thought by now you'd be already married and with one or more of Josh's little babies running around you…"

Veronica stared at him powerfully as he spoke, but didn't say anything back until Logan was done speaking. "Nope…none of that yet…" Veronica told him in a calm tone. "He started his internship last year and then they actually promoted me to detective a few months ago, so…no…no wedding for us just yet…"

Even when Logan heard every word Veronica said right then, he could only focus on one part of that sentence. "You are a detective now?" He asked her genuinely excited for the first time that day. He was smiling so brightly it almost made Veronica want to cry. "Like the real deal? Should I call you now Detective Mars or what?"

She smiled at him and shook her head looking down at her feet —once upon a time when she told Josh about her promotion all she'd gotten was a confused face from him… "_Weren't you a detective already?" J_ust thinking about it made Veronica roll her eyes.

When she focused again on the present, she noted Logan looking at her confused. "Oh no, I wasn't…I didn't roll my eyes because of _you_," She explained before chuckling slightly. Logan was grateful for that and then also chuckle softly. "I am actually the real deal now, so…behave Echolls…" She told him only half-playfully and he knew it.

Logan let out a breath before motioning her toward the couch. Veronica nodded and a moment later the two of them were sitting there side by side. "Can I ask you something Veronica?"

Veronica looked at Logan cautiously given the smirk he was wearing. "Yeah…"

Logan then eyed down her ring finger again and then looked back up at her eyes staring at her mischievously. "Have you been using your magic ring for evil Ronnie?"

Veronica had no idea what he was talking about. "What?"

"Don't _what_ me, you know what I'm talking about," Logan told her back fighting back laughter. "Don't think I didn't hear about my alleged tiny cute-as-a-button fiancée from the nurses for the last few days Veronica,"

Oh shit! As he said that, Veronica couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. She looked at Logan mortified before shaking her head. "The ring was just the mean to an end —The nurses weren't going to let me in if I told them I was just an ex of yours, so I had to play with the cards I got, but hey, it worked; you are here with little old me and none of the nurses have bothered us, now have they?"

Logan chuckled at her before shaking his head. "No they haven't…" He agreed simply.

Silence fell between them then but it wasn't awkward or uncomfortable as it had been before —it simply was.

Veronica let out a sigh after a beat leaning back on the couch a little more. Logan was looking at her softly but they didn't say anything for a long time.

It sadden Veronica to know that despite the fact that she and Logan had managed a semi-normal and casual conversation right now, Logan was still not letting her see even the tip of the iceberg of his life. She didn't blame him, after all they were barely even friends right now, but still…it made her sad, and hell, even angry…

Logan almost died and that alone made her appreciate this moment with him all the more, but at the same time it also made her scared —scared for him and for the life he'd been leading for the last couple of years…

Veronica closed her eyes when the thoughts in her head became too much and just as she did that, she felt Logan's hand covering her own.

Her eyes snapped open immediately, and she fixed them on those of Logan.

He was the one to speak then. "How long are you staying?"

Veronica shrugged at him. "Not sure. A few days at least…"

"Miss-Super-Important-Detective can now take time off just because she wants it?"

Veronica smiled at him, but still shook her head. "Nope," She told him. "Let's just say my boss was nice enough to give me some forced vacation time this week,"

Logan widened his eyes at her. "You screwed up?"

"Hell no!" Veronica insisted stubbornly making Logan laugh one more time —she liked that, she liked seeing that in spite of everything, the Logan she knew was still there inside him somewhere.

"Okay, then let me guess, your boss wasn't completely happy with your…hmm…initiative maybe?"

Wow, how did he know? "Actually yes," Veronica answered guardedly —see some people in this world still knew her… "I'd tell you about it sometime if you are good,"

Logan looked at her blue eyes and nodded. They stayed like that for another minute or two before Veronica took in a breath and Logan knew the next words she was going to say. "You gotta go?"

"Yeah…" Veronica replied a little apologetically. For one reason or the other she didn't want to leave —not yet anyway. She had to though —she'd left Lilia alone for enough time as it was already. "Have some business to take care off," She told Logan softly as the two of them did to stand up from the couch. "I'll be seeing you though…"

Logan nodded at her slightly as the two of them then stood at arm's length of each for a few more seconds. It was then Veronica who decided to cut the crap, and moved closer to him wrapping her short arms tightly around his waist. This time the hug was short however, and they didn't say anything anymore. Their eyes met for a few seconds before Veronica just smiled tightly at him and turned around grabbing her purse on her way to the door. She didn't turn around once but they both knew why she hadn't —if she were to look at him again, she knew she wouldn't want to leave at all and instead would want to walk back to him and stay in that room with him all day…

She couldn't do that though…At least not for now…

Eventually they would have to talk —_really _talk, but it was an understatement to say neither was ready for that yet…

xxxx

When Veronica made it back to her father's house, she was greeted by an overly hurried Keith running out the door as soon as she made it past it. Veronica rolled her eyes at him, but still didn't take it personal at all. She smiled at Keith as he apologized again and again, and on his quick way out the door only stopped to kiss her cheek lightly and tell her that he loved her and was glad she was home.

He needed to work and Veronica understood as much —she actually felt a bit bad for making her Dad babysit Lilia while she went to see Logan. Oh well, it wasn't as if Keith didn't think the meeting was necessary as well.

In any case, after Veronica saw Keith's car pulling out of the driveway, she let out a sigh and headed up the stairs in search of Lilia. Veronica wasn't really all that familiar with this new place of Keith's…she'd actually only been here a few handful of times, if that.

The first time she saw it was right after Keith moved in, and that first tour had been made during a chat on Skype. Veronica had been avoiding Neptune for such a long time, that despite this place being "home" it certainly didn't feel like it. In spite of her father even…

No place felt like home these days if she were honest with herself, but that still didn't mean Veronica wasn't at least a little bit glad to be here.

Right now she felt relieved after seeing Logan —she knew there was a whole lot he wasn't letting show, but at the very least he was still here in this planet, no?

In the end however, after shaking her current thoughts away, Veronica knocked on the door of the guest room. Lilia was supposed to be staying here, since it was the room closest to Veronica, and despite recent events, Veronica honestly didn't expect her Dad to be babysitting Lilia for her. Not that Lilia needed babysitting per se, but given the extremely traumatic experience she had just been out of, Veronica knew she wasn't wrong thinking Lilia would need a little more attention and care than a regular 21-year-old.

Lilia in any case didn't answer when Veronica knocked, so after thinking about it for a moment, Veronica reached down for the knob and opened the door slightly, peeking her head in. Lilia was laying on the bed, and while from afar it looked as though she was sleeping, Veronica knew better. She'd been there. She'd experience the type of physical exhaustion Lilia most likely was feeling, yet also knew what happened exactly every time she tried to sleep and get some rest —Nightmares.

Veronica put some extra air in her lungs before walking inside the room, and perching on the side of the bed by Lilia. She waited a moment or two before carefully placing her hand on Lilia's arm, gently willing her to wake up from her slumber.

Needlessly to say Lilia woke up with a start, and not even Veronica's most reassuring smile was enough to put the young woman back at ease. "It's all right. You are okay. You were just having a nightmare…"

Lilia however didn't find Veronica's words to be reassuring. She shook her head stubbornly and ran her hands over her face time and time again until the last bits of her nightmare disappeared. She hadn't told anyone she was having nightmares and the fact that Veronica so lightly brought it up made her mad for some reason. "If you couldn't tell, I was sleeping, Veronica. What are you doing here?"

Veronica was of course taken aback by her sharp tone but still didn't let it show. She put her hands out as in surrender and tried for a smile in Lilia's direction. "Well, I don't know about you kid, but I'm starving. Thought you would want to go see some of the gastronomic amazingness Neptune California has to offer," Veronica said sarcastically, yet making Lilia smile —however slightly.

She shook her head at the petite blonde. "You didn't see anything, I was…you know…just dreaming, I—"

"I didn't see anything," Veronica cut her off and spoke seriously. The last thing in the world she was planning on doing right now was taking more power away from Lilia. Nope, Veronica so wasn't going to do that, so instead she was trying to do the exact opposite, give her power, so while it may cost Veronica a bit, there wasn't going to be a whole lot of pushing directed to Lilia from now on. Whatever the girl wanted to share would be enough for Veronica. "Wanna go eat now or what?"

At that, Lilia couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped, and she nodded.

xxxx

"So your Dad's what…a detective too?"

Veronica turned to look at Lilia with narrowed eyes. "Kinda?" She answered vaguely making Lilia snort.

"You honestly do not know how to answer a question, do you? Not even the easy ones?"

Veronica chuckled slightly at her observation, but still couldn't think of anything to say in her favor. "What do you want to tell you? My Dad has a PI biz. In theory he's just a consultant now though."

Lilia narrowed her eyes with confusion. "What is that mean?"

Veronica shrugged. "It means he's way too stubborn to retire and leave all the dirty work to others…"

That made Lilia smile for some reason. "He seemed pretty cool to me,"

Veronica nodded her head. "Oh he is." He was actually the coolest dude ever if Veronica could say so herself. "He still likes to do way more at the office than he should…"

"He told me earlier that the two of you used to work together,"

"We did. When I was younger," Veronica replied simply as she and Lilia walked into her bedroom. Lunch with Lilia had gone better than Veronica expect it to go —she hadn't ran into anyone she knew, she had been able not to think about the one who-shall-not-be-named for a couple hours, she'd gotten to eat, heck, she'd even gotten dessert…it'd been a good enough afternoon to say the least.

"Most of the things I know I learned them from him actually," Veronica added as an afterthought watching as Lilia laid flat on Veronica's bed looking up at the ceiling. The girl let out a long breath losing herself in thought.

Veronica smiled slightly as she went to grab her suitcase and started unpacking. The truth of the matter was that she could absolutely live out of her suitcase, but the fact that she didn't like to unpack drove her dad borderline crazy, so Veronica did it anyway.

"He looked very happy to see you…" Lilia whispered after a few moments. Her eyes still not focused on Veronica but on the white ceiling of her room. "I used to be that close with my Dad once too…"

"Yeah?" Veronica asked trying to sound nonchalant. She was still set on not pushing the kid.

Lilia in any case didn't think much about it, and nodded. "Yeah. He only had two kids, and despite me being the oldest, I was his little girl for better or worse. He used to be very good at the Daddy thing to be honest…"

At those words Veronica stopped her unpacking, and turned to Lilia walking the few steps to the bed. "You are talking in the past tense kid," Veronica noted needlessly. "Why is that? I met with your Dad, he seemed very cool to me too…" Veronica said, parroting in some way the same words Lilia had told her earlier about her own Dad.

Lilia in any case, simply shrugged her shoulders. "He _is_ very cool," Lilia admitted with a tiny smile. "But I can see through him…" She added, and as fast as those words were out, as fast as her smile fell. "I can see through his good intentions…he feels so damn guilty, and I can see that in everything he does now…"

Veronica wasn't very sure what she should say —she had been through a whole lot of things during her 26 years of life, nothing like what Lilia was going through though. Veronica wished she could relate to those feelings, but she couldn't. "He's trying and that honestly is more than some parents do…" Neptune was for sure full of bad parenting and while Veronica thanks to her Dad hadn't had to live it first hand, she'd seen lots of it —including her own mother. "I'm so not going to tell you what to do, but you should consider cutting your parents some slack…they are trying, and for whatever that's worth, they care and I know you do too, so…maybe you should focus on fixing it rather than the opposite. They are your family kid…"

Lilia looked down at Veronica's words and started fidgeting with a small pillow on the bed.

"Look, if your father is anything like mine, then I can tell you without a doubt that he _is_ going to feel guilty and you can't do anything about it. Fathers, I…I don't know, they think their job is to protect us and keep us safe, and well…when that fails to happen, they think is their fault. They are sure _they_ failed and in all honesty, you can't hold them responsible for that. That's just what fathers do…"

Lilia let out a breath and slowly looked up at Veronica. "I know you are right." She admitted painfully enough. "But…I don't know…I guess it's just that while I was still…" Her voice trailed off and Lilia couldn't help the sinking feeling she felt in her stomach at the thoughts of her kidnapping returning. "Well, you know…" She settled saying, begging Veronica with her eyes to understand.

Luckily for Lilia, Veronica nodded her head understandingly. "I know,"

"Well, while I was still there, I had a picture of how life was going to be once I got out," Lilia started explaining quietly. "Whenever things got bad I would think about the fun I was going to have with my Dad when we got to go again to a baseball game, or one of the stupid college football games he loves so much. The idea of being out of the nightmare was my safe place —During the years I pictured the idea of getting out time and time again, and eventually, the idea was stronger than I ever thought it'd be, so…I…heck, I don't know, when I got out and the reality didn't match my idea, I…I didn't know what to do…" She paused for a moment feeling her eyes hot with tears. "I still don't know what to do…" She choked up, making Veronica bit her lip in order to keep her emotions in check.

"None of us do…" Veronica assured Lilia then in spite of herself, and smiled at the watery chuckle Lilia let out at her words.

The two of them then shared a look and smiled. "I'm done talking about myself," Lilia said then decisively as she got up from the bed in a rush leaving Veronica there to shake her head at the kid.

"Okay fine, what'cha wanna talk about then?" Veronica said before lying flat on her back on the bed. She closed her eyes and just waited until Lilia's voice broke her from her thoughts.

"I think I saw this same picture back at your apartment?"

Veronica looked up from the bed to take a look of the picture Lilia was referring. Oh…it was _that_ picture, Veronica thought. She still shrugged her shoulders at Lilia. "So…?"

Lilia narrowed her eyes feeling a little bit confused. "So?" She asked Veronica back pointedly. "I mean, the same picture, in the same frame and all…what's the story huh? Did you pack this picture with you for a –and I quote you, '_brief trip back to Neptune'_," She said finger quoting. "How come, huh? Who are all these people by you?"

Veronica in all honesty had to take a deep breath before answering any of that. Truth was, she had indeed packed that picture with her for this trip to Neptune. She actually always did carry with that picture around for some reason.

At last, Veronica got up from the bed as well and walked to where Lilia was standing holding Veronica's picture frame in her hands. "That was when I was still in high school…it's a pretty old picture…" That picture actually had ten years old, and the realization didn't hit Veronica until that moment.

"This one's Lilly and that's her brother Duncan," Veronica said pointing at the picture with her forefinger. She felt strange talking about them, hell, even saying their names aloud felt weird —it had been such a long time since she'd done it.

"Who's the cute one?"

Veronica's eyes turned to Lilia at those words —well; on the one hand it proved she wasn't crazy for thinking Logan was indeed the cutest one in that picture, but on the other, Veronica did feel a little something inside her when she heard another girl complimenting Logan for some reason.

Veronica in any case shook her head after a beat and answered. "That's Logan," She told Lilia looking into her eyes steadily —Veronica wondered if Lilia still remembered Logan from their conversation at the hospital a few days ago.

Lilia's eyes went wide at Veronica's words and that answered the petite's blonde mental question. A smile formed in Lilia's face as she turned her eyes back to the picture frame. "Ooh…" She let out goofily looking at the picture intently. "He's your boyfriend then?"

Veronica squinted her eyes at that. "Ex," She corrected pointedly making Lilia roll her eyes.

"That's what I meant to say; you didn't let me finish…" She said sounding only a tad annoyed. "He's pretty cute," She gushed again, making Veronica roll her own eyes now.

"Duncan is also an ex…" Veronica volunteered the information then just because. Maybe she just wanted Lilia to stop focusing on her Logan…who knew…

Lilia squished her nose looking at Veronica. "I figured, given its him you are holding in the pic…" She said, making Veronica feel like a told moron for even mentioning the info. Lilia shrugged at the annoyed face Veronica made. "How come you ended up dating your friend's boyfriend though? Isn't that against girl code or something?"

Ugh, Veronica just about winced at that comment. It was a long story. "It's a long story kiddo…"

Lilia snorted and shook her head.

"It is a pretty long story and to be honest with you I'm not really sure how it happen, only it did, and Logan and I…well…I…"

"What?" Lilia chimed in when Veronica didn't seem able to finish her sentence.

The tiny blonde shrugged her shoulder. "He and I just happened. He was very important to me…" He _still_ was very much important to her, and while Veronica wasn't disclosing that part of the story, it didn't stop being true. "He's actually who I went to see earlier today after I left you with my Dad…"

"Huh…" Lilia's curiosity was definitely piqued. "Are you going to tell me why?"

Veronica shrugged her shoulders again at that. "I will," She answered simply. "He's at the hospital. There was a bit of an accident and he ended up there. I went to check on him…" Veronica knew she was downplaying the story a little too much, but she also knew Lilia wouldn't be able to tell. Thank Goodness she didn't know all that much about her story with Logan quite yet…

"Is he okay?" Lilia asked sounding only a little bit concerned —she didn't even know why to be honest.

Veronica nodded. "He's going to be fine…just some broken ribs and bones…" She said as though that was nothing.

Lilia narrowed her eyes and looked at Veronica as though the blonde were crazy. "Your definition of _fine_ definitely needs some revision Detective Mars," Lilia said only half-jokingly, yet her words made Veronica smile.

"He's going to be fine; I honestly wouldn't be joking about it if he weren't…" Not that Lilia should care, but still…Veronica was okay enough telling her that much.

"Fair enough," Lilia replied with a small shrug of her shoulders. "How about the other hottie in the picture? Do you still talk to him?"

Veronica's eyes darted back to the picture then and a sad smile appeared on her face. "I know he's okay…but…nah…it's been a while since dear D and I actually spoke…"

"What about the girl?" Lilia asked that last question awfully quiet —it was as though she knew the answer to that question wasn't going to be pretty.

Veronica let out a long breath. "She died…long time ago," Veronica said before bringing her eyes down to the picture again. She shook her head. It had been already ten years from Lilly's death as well, and while a long time, Veronica still missed her terribly…

"Don't feel bad though, Lilly would've hated it…" Veronica added then trying to light up the mood again.

Lilia made a face but still nodded at Veronica. "You look nice in the pic," She said then just because, motioning Veronica to the frame in her hands. Veronica looked back down and for once looked at herself in the picture —oh to sophomore year and the memories of that night…

Lilia however spoke again then breaking Veronica from her thoughts one more time. "I'm not sure pink is your color though Veronica," She told her simply and yet Veronica took the words to heart.

She nodded at Lilia. "Yeah, well, I'm not sure it was my color either…one year after that I went in red to homecoming…"

Lilia made a face that showed she approved of that a little more. "I'm sure it was a lot more you," She said and Veronica smiled.

"Yeah…yeah it was…"


	5. You&Me - Chapter Five

**Author's Note : **So considering, I'm still in the process of recovering from the awesomeness the movie was, I hope you can forgive me for the late update. Y'all can agree the movie was pretty spectacular and waiting so long for it, was worth it, right? I loved seeing how everybody grew up to be, and LoVe...oh well...this Marshmallow here simply loved the movie.

Anyways, back to THIS story, I really just hope you enjoy this new chapter. _Flashbacks are in Italics!_

Also, thank you so so much for reading, and alerting/favoriting this story! :)

**You&Me - Chapter Five**

* * *

_Throughout her life, Veronica had moved three times – two of those she didn't really remember. Before she was born, her parents lived in a small apartment complex in San Diego, but soon after they had her moved to a bigger place in a 'better' side of town. When she was three and the amount of things a toddler girl owed, was more than her tiny baby nursery could hold, Veronica and her parents moved to a smaller town, but to a bigger place with even bigger possibilities –or so that was the pipe dream._

_That new improved place had been a modest –yet bigger than everything they've owned before- house in Neptune, California. In all honesty, that had been the only house Veronica remembered growing up. It was a two storey house with cheap hardwood floors and carpeted rooms. It was however, home, and it was a good home to have while she grew up._

_A little while after her seventeenth birthday that changed though –her father was ran out of office, and for the first time in her life that she could remember, Veronica was moving. They moved to an apartment as opposed to a house. They also moved to that side of town she used to be scared to drive by before the move._

_Life changed. In a blink of an eye and while to this day Veronica still couldn't decide if it had been for better or worse, one thing she knew for sure, her father had been the most courageous man she knew by taking that decision. Even when the whole town was against him, he didn't take the easy way out and ran, he stayed and fought for what he believed was the right thing._

_As Veronica right now looked at the maybe ten or more boxes scattered around her bedroom, she realized something –she wasn't nearly as courageous as her father was…no…not at all…_

_She was very much a coward running from everything and everyone who could hold her accountable of her decisions._

_She'd explained this move as a new start, a second chance to make things right and not screw it up, but if Veronica was honest, she knew the right way to make things right was right here in Neptune and not two and a half hours away in Los Angeles. It was a little too late for changes of heart though –after all wasn't that U-Haul truck already parked in front of her apartment building? Sadly enough, it was…_

_"You still here, Veronica? Where did you go, girl?"_

_Wallace's voice startled Veronica slightly. She turned her head to look and him, and yet for a few moments the words still couldn't form. Wallace looked at her with concern and it was then when Veronica snapped out of her trance. "You didn't bubble wrap that snow globe, did you?" She asked him back as if the last few minutes hadn't happened._

_Wallace was confused –to say the least, but still chalked it up to Veronica just being Veronica. "No I didn't…" He replied simply, still looking in Veronica's direction with worried eyes. "Are you sure you are okay, V?"_

_Veronica looked at Wallace's eyes seriously as he asked his question, yet before Veronica could answer, a knock on the door and the barks of her overly protective pet pit-bull alerted her and Wallace of the presence of someone else in the apartment. Veronica sighed and shrugged in Wallace's direction before heading towards the front door. _

_Veronica in all honesty didn't need open the door before she knew already who was behind it. Over eight years of knowing Logan gave her at least the certainty of knowing his silhouette no?_

_They hadn't spoken in almost three whole months and that alone made her, if only, slightly nervous about this reunion. Veronica wouldn't admit it to anyone, but she had actually hoped to leave town without seeing him again –talk about being a coward, huh? She honestly just thought not seeing him would have made things much easier…_

_In the end however, Veronica walked to the door, and after taking a breath of courage, she opened it and was faced with Logan at last. _

_She didn't utter a word, but just looked up at him warily as Logan stood there looking pretty. _

_"Hey," Logan volunteered the first word spoken between them and while his voice was calm and in control, he didn't look calm and in control._

_He was running his hand through his hair over and over and while any other day that was just a Logan thing, today Veronica knew it was because of her —he was anxious and mad at her, and she knew as much full well._

_Veronica sighed. "Why'd you come Logan?" She asked him knowing those were most definitely not the words Logan was expecting from her._

_And sure enough, as she spoke, Logan's features hardened. "This is how it's going to be then, Veronica? You are just going to up and leave? Not even a goodbye?" He asked her angrily. "That's very goddamn douchey —even for you,"_

_Veronica flinched at his words, yet before she could tell Logan anything, another voice spoke and both she and Logan were startled._

_"You may wanna stop talking right now," Wallace's voice was serious and sharp as he moved quickly to stand in front of Veronica by the door. He moved her behind him so that he was now standing right before Logan Echolls. "You can't just come to her house to speak to her like that man —you are crazy if you think I'm going to let you pull that off—"_

_"Wallace," Veronica tried, when she was finally able to find her words back._

_Wallace in any case turned to her only to shake his head. "No Veronica —you don't owe him explanations, and he seriously shouldn't get to speak to you like this," Wallace was obviously upset, and while Veronica got just why, she knew Logan wasn't completely at fault this time._

_He was Logan after all, and despite everything, he did deserve more than what Veronica had planned to give him. He always had, and that was just one of their many problems —she never knew how to give him just everything he needed from her._

_Oh well…_

_Logan grew tired of his exchange with Wallace fairly quickly after a moment, and so he took a step forward looking steadily into Wallace's brown eyes. "I didn't come here to fight. I didn't come here because of you. I came here for Veronica and I'm not leaving until we get to talk…" He said completely serious, shifting his eyes to Veronica after the words finished coming out of his mouth._

_Wallace shook his head however. "Oh you are delusional if—"_

_"—Don't you think for once you and I can have an adult conversation?" Logan interrupted Wallace looking strongly in Veronica's direction._

_Wallace was just about to speak again, when Veronica grabbed his arm and shook her head at him. "Wallace it's okay…" She told him in a small voice. "We can talk," Veronica told Logan with a sigh before turning to look back at Wallace quickly. "Can you just…just give me a minute with him…"_

_"Are you sure?"_

_Veronica had a moment's pause, before she nodded her head at him. "Yeah, yeah I'm sure…"_

_Wallace kept his eyes on Veronica for a few more seconds, before he reluctantly nodded his head as well, and did to move past Logan. They bumped shoulders and before leaving Wallace glared at Logan and shook his head. He honestly did not understand what Veronica saw in the guy —he was scum for sure…_

_Turning his eyes away from Wallace and back to Veronica, Logan formed a fake smirk on his face. "I think he likes me, what do you say Veronica…?"_

_Veronica rolled her eyes at him. "Don't." She warned him seriously. "I'm so not in the mood for jokes, Logan, I'm really not…"_

_Logan let out a long breath at that, and his face grew serious again. It took her a moment, but after looking into his eyes steadily for a beat, Veronica moved aside from the door at last and let him in. She closed the door after him, and the two of them walked a little further into the apartment stopping by the small kitchen area._

_They were quiet for only another small moment before Veronica cut to the chase. "Why did you come?"_

_Logan simply shrugged at the question. "Word is, you transferred…but…UCLA, Veronica? Really? You?"_

_Now it was Veronica who shrugged in his direction —she knew Logan had nothing against UCLA, not really anyway, but he still needed to get his point across and that was a safe enough way to bring the subject to the table. "It's a decent school…"_

_"Right, because this is about your education…of course." Logan told her sarcastically not missing a beat. He paused though looking at her and shaking his head out of instinct. "I…I shouldn't be surprised…this…this is just what you do –you always have,"_

_"Do what, exactly?"_

_Logan raised an eyebrow at her words —she was playing dumb and they both knew it. "Run." Logan explained her simply anyway. "You are running from everything –you are running from me…"_

_Veronica in all honesty wanted to tell him he was wrong in his face, but the truth was that she'd be a huge liar if she did just that. "What do you want me to say?" She was running —there was no way around it, and as much as she wished she had something better to tell Logan, she didn't…_

_Logan in any case didn't seem too fazed by her answer —it was as though his expectations were that low he couldn't even feel disappointed. "Nothing," He told Veronica with a sigh before looking away from her and bringing one of his hands up to his hair again. "You don't have to say anything at all Ronnie…" He whispered after a moment struggling not to look at her._

_Logan's eyes focused on a crack on the floor for the longest time as both he and Veronica stood in silence waiting for the other to say the next thing._

_There was a picture of Veronica on the shelf just below his eyes and in spite of himself that made Logan smile —she was even cute as a kid. "I…" He tried to say, but his voice trailed off before he could._

_Veronica's curiosity however, was already piqued. "You what?"_

_"I'm just not sure how much longer I can chase you…" Logan told her sincerely then, still with his eyes on Veronica's baby picture. He brought a finger up to touch the picture frame, before letting out a breath, and turning back to face Veronica. "I just don't know if I can keep doing it…as much as it kills me," He admitted seriously. "And I swear to God you have no idea how much it does…"_

_Oh but she did. She couldn't let him see that though. "I never asked you to,"_

_Logan was genuinely surprised to hear that, yet he composed soon enough. "Nope." He said with a shrug, yet Veronica could almost taste the disappointment in his voice. "No you didn't Veronica…"_

_They stayed in silence for a little while longer before Logan spoke again —He'd heard quite a few things lately of Veronica, and while Logan knew better than to believe everything he heard, there was one thing he wanted to know before she left. "Did you break up with Piz?"_

_Veronica's eyes widened at that. "Not your business," She snapped at him without thinking, but then remembered Logan's words from earlier about having an adult conversation for once. After taking a breath, Veronica's features softened and she looked into his eyes steadily. "I think maybe I'm just better off alone…"_

_Logan snorted and shook his head. "BS detector just shot up to the roof Veronica –You don't really mean that,"_

_"Yeah, right? Then what did I actually mean?" Well, whatever, she was curious now…_

_Logan shrugged his shoulders. "That you are better off without me?"_

_Veronica started shaking her head immediately at that, yet she didn't correct him. "Look, it is like you told me that one time, we don't work, we both want the other to be something we are not and that—"_

_"That what, Veronica?" Logan interrupted letting his voice raise slightly. "Come on, Veronica; don't go using my own words against me. That's low…"_

_So maybe it was, but…that didn't mean it wasn't true. "We know now how it goes Logan…I kiss you, you kiss me, we fall like dorks in love or whatever metaphor you wanna quote me here…but then I'll do something, or you'll do something. I will get pissed, then you'll get pissed I'm pissed, we'll break up…and then we'll start again, that's what we do…it's a freaking cycle we've been doing for years now." Veronica was already getting worked up, but after a moment's pause and a deep breath, she calmed down._

_Logan was looking at her and while his stare was nearly burning through her soul, Veronica made herself keep going. "But the thing is, we haven't changed Logan so we are just going to keep making the same mistakes and hurting each other time and time again…" _

_Logan's face fell at those words, and Veronica bit on her lip keeping her own emotions in check. "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome –Einstein said that so it's not like we can argue against him with our average brains, Logan…"_

_A bitter smile crossed Logan's mouth at that —he actually agreed. "You are saying it's over then…"_

_Veronica shrugged her shoulder taking a couple steps closer to him. "I'm saying I'm moving to LA…" She told him softly. "I'm hoping doing a different thing here would help me get to the different outcome part of the equation…"_

_"Maybe I should try that sometime, huh?" Logan told her letting out a puff of air._

_Veronica let a faint smile appear on her face. "I don't know…Maybe you should…" _

_Logan took a deep intake of air before moving all the way closer to Veronica. They were standing right before the other and while the closeness was proving to be a little bit too much for Veronica, she didn't move an inch and instead kept her eyes steadily on Logan's. "I'm going to miss your smartassness…" She told him with a tiny smile._

_Logan shook his head but still couldn't help the grin that broke on his face. "And I'll miss your quick brain and smart mouth bobcat…" He told her sincerely making her blush slightly. "I have to go now,"_

_Veronica looked back up and nodded —she got it, if he didn't leave right this moment one of them would be weak enough and try to kiss the other. Talk about the idiotic cycle, no?_

_Veronica in any case suddenly felt her throat closing and her eyes glistering at a quick speed. Logan in fact needed to get the heck out of here quickly or she'll lose it. Who knew saying goodbye to the ex you allegedly hate, would suck so much?_

_"Just go, Logan…" Veronica whispered after a beat when Logan didn't move but kept his eyes down on her._

_He could see her misty eyes and it broke his heart —he knew he needed to go…_

_"Bye Ronnie…"_

_A tear fell from her eye but Veronica was extra fast to wipe it off making sure Logan didn't get to see it. "Bye…"_

_And just a moment later, he was…gone …just gone…_

_xxxx_

Even if she wasn't there, Veronica could hear all the hustle and bustle from the hospital hallways. She let out a breath as she waited for Josh to pick up the phone again —he'd even been the one to call her and now he was making her hold one while he did who knows what…

Veronica was in the middle of rolling her eyes when she heard a very hurriedly Josh in the line again. "Hey, Veronica, sorry…Doctor Cooper needed me there for a minute,"

More like seven minutes but Veronica wasn't going to be one to point that out right now. "That's all right…" She told him simply after a beat.

"So how is it going?"

Veronica narrowed her eyes at the question even if Josh wasn't looking at her. That was a very boyfriend-ly question of him. "I'm doing good. You good?" She asked him back feeling a little clueless about this call. This wasn't really like Josh to be honest —he was a great boyfriend and lover, but he really wasn't much the type to call to check in just because.

"Oh, I'm great," Josh answered enthusiastically. "I was just wondering how everything was going with your Dad and Neptune and all…"

Veronica shrugged —who knew what bug bit him, but whatever, she actually didn't mind the 20 questions right about now too much. "Everything's good,"

"And your Dad?"

"My Dad too, what's up with you?" Veronica finally asked him bluntly. She could clearly hear when at the other end of the line Josh let out a breath.

"Nothing." Josh lied. "I…I don't know, Veronica. It's been just bugging me a little how all of a sudden you decided to go back to Neptune," They had had a conversation once upon a time, and while a little tipsy, Veronica had actually vowed never to go back. Josh didn't get it then and he still didn't get it, but one thing he knew, ever since they got engaged, Veronica hadn't gone back to Neptune and for one reason or the other he couldn't help wonder what had changed… "I got to think maybe something was wrong —with your Dad and stuff, and you are just not telling me," Obviously, if something was wrong with her family Josh would understand her coming back.

Veronica in any case had no idea what he was saying. She let out a long breath before speaking again. "My Dad is very well, thank you for asking, Josh." She told him in a calm manner. "I swear to God everything's fine…I just…I don't know, was a bit homesick I think…"

"What did you do with Veronica, huh woman?"

Veronica chuckled at him and her laughter alone was enough to make Josh laugh slightly too.

"I'm fine, I promise," Veronica said seriously into the phone after a small moment of silence between them.

Josh weighted his options and then simply decided to trust her. "Fine," He told her at last with a puff of air. "Have you driven your Dad crazy already then?"

Veronica laughed quietly again at that. "Nah, not yet…give me…hmm…" She paused faking deep thought. "Fifteen more minutes before he sends me on my way back to LA in a rush," She smiled when Josh laughed at her words. "Everything's going okay enough actually. Dad even recruited Lilia to work at the office,"

"Yeah?" Josh asked her back with surprise. "Doing what?"

"Clerical stuff —I wasn't going to let her, but…_she_ actually _insisted_ in helping so yeah…we are at the office today," Veronica didn't really plan to stay here all day but for now she was indeed back at Mars Investigations after years of not setting foot on this place.

"I actually think it's quite nice what you are doing for that girl, Veronica…"

His words surprised Veronica a little. "Really?" For one, Josh wasn't the type to compliment others —anyone. He was in that way like Veronica a little, they were type A personality people, overachievers that _could _be a little too full of themselves from time to time.

In any case, Veronica did appreciate his words —she wasn't very sure of that decision yet, so it was nice to know Josh at least thought it was nice. "Thank you —I keep reminding myself every day that I'm doing this for the right reasons, and not because I'm a fool…" A soft fool at that. She was a woman in law enforcement, so it really was an understatement to say Veronica didn't need more reasons for her colleagues to think she was soft, but oh well…here she was…

"You are not a fool, you are just…well, a woman, and you have…"

"What?" Veronica asked with a laugh when his voice trailed off. "I have what, huh? _Feels?" _She told him teasingly, knowing Josh would hate it.

He laughed however and so after a moment, so did Veronica. She had been about to tell him something else when the phone in her Dad's office started ringing. "Oh crap, I have to answer the phone, we'll talk later, okay?"

"Uh, hm, yeah, sure," Josh stumbled over his words a little as he too heard the ringing of the phone through his cell phone. "Talk you later, love you,"

"Yeah, you too…" Veronica said hurriedly as she was already picking up the office phone and hanging up her personal one. "Mars Investigations, this is—"

"—Veronica," Logan finished for her.

Veronica eyes widened with surprise as soon as she heard his voice at the other end of the line —suddenly she felt frozen and just barely able to grip the phone close to her ear.

"I, I didn't know you were at your Dad's office…" Logan said then carrying a tad apologetically. He wouldn't have called if he knew she was there. He had been meaning to call Keith for a couple of days now, but he kept thinking Keith would be with Veronica so he didn't call. That was actually, why Logan chose to call him at work this early —he'd figured Keith would be at the office while Veronica was still soundly asleep back at home.

She was never a morning person anyway —guess some things had actually changed, huh? "Hello there though…" Logan spoke then again when Veronica's silence started becoming a bit unnerving.

Veronica in all honesty just didn't think this would be a phone call she'd be having this morning. After what felt like hours to Logan, Veronica cleared her throat and spoke. "Hey," She greeted him back, and while neither was seeing the other, the awkwardness was palpable between them —even over the phone…unbelievable. "Dad's out with a client, I…I'm helping out a bit," She said, and could hear Logan quietly chuckling on the other end. "What's so funny?"

Logan shrugged to himself. "Just like old times, huh?"

Veronica couldn't help but think then that maybe Logan was onto something. Just this morning, when Veronica walked into Mars Investigations, her brain sure thought no time had passed and she was still the teenager who needed to get all the mail sorted out for her dad, and all the paperwork he may need in order. Like Logan said, it had indeed felt like the old times —sadly enough, that feeling only lasted a small moment before Veronica's reality rushed back to her probably still asleep brain. "Something like that —Do not tell the Dad, but I've totally forgotten how so not glamorous this place was,"

Logan laughed at her words and Veronica let out a breath of relief. Well, at least she could still pull off a bit of wit in spite of her butterfly-filled belly.

"Then I guess I've forgotten what a glamour-seeker you were Miss Mars,"

Miss Mars? What was wrong with the old fashion first name bases between old friends, huh? "Did you need something from my Dad?"

And of course there she was rushing to get back to business like always —_that _was indeed very Veronica.

"You can leave a message, or I can call him if you want me to?" She said into the phone trying to be helpful, but then a thought crossed her mind. "But, hey, are you okay? Why do you need my Dad for?"

Logan chuckled quietly at her ramble, but it was still loud enough for Veronica to hear it. "Well, talk!"

"It's nothing," Logan told her rolling his eyes slightly. "I just…well, you know, your Dad came through for me…_again_, I thought I owed him at least a thank you call, is all…you happy now bobcat?"

Jesus! He'd gone from calling her by her last name to that damn pet name he had for her years ago, in minutes! He was nuts! Simple as that.

Before saying anything, Veronica took a deep breath and then arched her head looking in the other's room direction where Lilia was —she looked busy enough filing some paperwork, so after a beat, Veronica spoke again into the phone. "Any word yet when you are going to be released from the hospital?"

"Later today actually,"

"Oh," Veronica let out at the new information. "That's great, no? That must've meant you are doing better?" She asked as the surprise in her voice slowly yet surely changed into a weird happy relief. Veronica didn't like hospitals —never had, at least not when someone she cared about was there, so yeah, she was happy Logan was getting out of there at last.

He was taking an awful lot of time to answer though. "Well, are you?" Veronica asked him then carrying a little annoyed. She retracted her claws when she heard Logan letting out a long breath all the way through the phone. That made her breathe deeply as well. "Logan…"

At the sound of his name called by her, Logan finally snapped out of his trance and shook his head before replying. "I'm sorry, Veronica, I…I zoned out there for a minute," He explained quickly. "Dick's still the roomie, but…you know…you are welcome to visit anytime…"

Veronica rolled her eyes when Logan failed to answer her question —she appreciate the effort he was doing not to lie to her face though. He was anyway lying by omission but still…Veronica appreciated the effort…if only slightly.

"I don't even know where you're living these days, Logan…" Veronica let on then honestly, her voice for some reason carrying sadly.

Logan in any case couldn't help rolling his eyes at those words. "Oh whoop-de-fucking-do, Veronica. As if you couldn't just pull your computer, hell, your phone and figure that out in minutes!" Logan told her then with an actual factual laugh.

Veronica smiled at that as she too laughed for a bit—he had a point. "Touché," She said smiling as Logan continued to laugh at the other end of the line. "Is your buddy-buddy Dick taking you home?" She asked him after a beat, when Veronica thought Logan may be done laughing at her expense.

"Hm, no actually…I'm taking a cab…believe it or not, Dick has to work,"

Veronica in all seriousness couldn't help the snort that escaped her as soon as she heard those words. "Work? As in an _actual_ job?"

Logan shrugged to himself before answering —he guessed Dick had that coming after the kind of person he was back when Veronica actually knew him. Oh well… "You've been gone a while, V…"

"And so I've been told," She was actually getting tired of people reminding her that. It was the truth though. "Do you need help getting home?" Veronica asked after a small pause deciding it was best to change the subject back. "I could…you know…I could help, if you…you know, need some help…"

Logan narrowed his eyes. "Are you serious?" Even after everything he'd done to her, she was actually volunteering to help him? What?

Man, Logan in the moment hated himself for even questioning Veronica's big heart —she was all about helping others, and he'd be a big liar if he tried to deny that. Often times it was that need to help others that landed her in trouble after all, no?

"If you don't—"

"—If you insist so much, I'd be your pity case, Veronica," Logan chimed in before Veronica could take back her words.

She snorted and shook her head to herself. "I do insist then…" She promised not knowing herself just why she insisted, but knowing she had to. She wasn't going to be in Neptune for too long, so…she might as well do as much as she could while she was still here, no?

"What time do you think they would let you out?"

Logan looked around at his empty hospital room before answering —truth was, he was wondering the same thing. "I'm actually not sure," He told her sincerely. "Perky nurse told me Doctor should come by soon to check me up one last time before signing the release forms so I guess any time now…"

"Well, I don't care what you say, but I think that's really good…I bet you are tired of the whole hospital setting already, no?" God knew _she _was tired of it, and she hadn't been in the hospital for over a week like Logan had.

"Yeah, I guess you are right…" Logan told her in a quiet voice before shaking his head. "Tell your Dad I'll call him later, okay?"

Oh, he wanted to hang up, already? Well, whatever he wanted. "Uh, yes sure…I'll tell him," Veronica promised simply.

"Great, thank you Veronica," Logan said; his voice chirping slightly. Suddenly, he felt quite happy knowing he'll actually get to see Veronica today. "I'll see you then, right?"

"Yeah…I'll go when my Dad gets back…that okay?"

That was perfect, actually. "Yeah…" He answered simply keeping his emotions to himself. "I'll see you,"

"Yeah," Veronica replied as a small smile formed on her face. "See you,"

xxxx

Eight hours. Eight whole freaking hours Veronica and Logan had to wait at the hospital waiting for him to be released. Even when at first they thought it'd be an in and out thing, sign here, sign there, take these pills, take some others, nope…nothing like that. It was a nightmare of paperwork and insurance drama, and honestly, a lot of crap, and that kept them in the hospital doing small awkward conversations every once in a while.

There had always been a nurse, or a hospital person with them at different times throughout the day so it wasn't as if this day could count as a real day spent with Logan reconnecting…not at all. And of course it wasn't as if Veronica wanted to reconnect with him, no…it wasn't about that, because for starters, they were both grown-ups now and knew better than to go down that path again, so no…it wasn't that.

Spending the whole day together but at the same time not hadn't been fun though —that was the bottom line.

In any case, here was Veronica, almost nine at night and she was driving one of her oldest friends in her car hoping more but to get to his place already before the silence between them killed them all together.

"Thank you for doing this,"

Oh good, the boy could still speak —Veronica was starting to doubt he could. She still settled offering him a sideways look, before looking back up front to the road and shrugging her shoulders. "You'd do the same for me,"

Logan smiled because that was true —in fact, he had sort of done it just a few years ago, and perhaps that was just why Veronica was being so nice with him in spite of everything. "I would…" Logan told her then anyway.

Veronica matched his soft smile before taking in a deep breath. "Do you remember what you gave me before I moved to LA back when we were in College?" She turned to look at him quickly and got to see Logan's eyes steadily staring at her.

He grew thoughtful as the memories of that goodbye came back to him. Logan hadn't even given her the "_present_" in person, but waited until he said goodbye to Veronica and then gave the small package to Wallace and asked him to give it to Veronica.

_"Why would I do that?"_

_Logan shrugged his shoulders at his words. "Because you are good person," He told Wallace simply. "And because even though you just about hate me, you must still know that I do care about Veronica…just like you do,"_

_Wallace rolled his eyes at Logan words before quickly snatching the wrapped present from his hands. "I can't promise you she won't throw it in the trash,"_

_Logan chuckled ever so slightly. "And I wouldn't dare ask you," He quipped making Wallace roll his eyes yet again._

_In the end, Wallace gave Logan a look before heading in the way of Veronica's apartment._

_Logan followed him with his eyes until Wallace walked back inside the apartment. Wallace was right in that Veronica could very likely throw it away without even open it, but…Logan hoped she wouldn't anyway._

And apparently she hadn't threw it away since here she was asking him if he remembered —of course he did. "I remember…"

Veronica nodded as she gripped the steering wheel just a little bit tighter. "Do you really think that?"

"Think what?" Logan asked her back slightly confused.

Veronica shrugged still with her eyes on the road. "Do you really think that I'm a chicken that often runs from everything when things get tough?"

A sad smile crossed Logan's face –_now _he remembered perfectly what had been inside that present he gave her. "I didn't exactly say you were a chicken,"

Veronica let out a puff of air. "You sort of did," She replied stubbornly turning to look at Logan briefly.

He was quiet for a moment or two then thinking in exactly what to say. "You are one of the bravest people I've known…like…ever V…so no, you ain't any chicken…" He told her lightly even though his words felt heavy as Veronica heard them.

"But I am a quitter and a runner,"

Logan hung his head low at those words —she was.

He refused to tell that then so he just looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, and shrugged.

Veronica matched his motion, and shrugged her shoulders as well —that was what she thought.

In any case, before they could converse anymore, Logan pointed to Veronica towards that one lone house at the end of the road.

Whoa…it was huge, but still very…Logan-ish…if Veronica could say so herself. Barely a block from the beach, yet far enough away from all the rustle and bustle from the public beaches. It was perfect for him for sure.

Veronica wished it were a little earlier in the day so she could appreciate the house better —it was already dark enough that her tired eyes couldn't see details. "It's nice…" She said as she parked the car behind a Porsche convertible.

Part of Veronica wished it was Logan's and not the…'roomies', but somehow the license plates screamed Dick to her –_"1M2SEXY_" —Yeah, those had to be Dicks…

Logan nodded his head at her as the two of them stepped out of the car. Veronica went straight to the back to get his small suitcase while Logan looking in his pockets for the key. "Lost it?" Veronica asked him and he turned his head to her looking sheepish.

"Yeah," He admitted with a pout, but then carelessly shrugged. "Dick's home though so it's fine," He said motioning Veronica with his head towards the white convertible.

She smiled at him, but before more words and/or glances could be shared, the front door opened, and Dick busted through that door just like Veronica remembered him.

She shook her head looking down at her feet for a moment.

"Dude, I thought Ronnie here had kidnapped you or something,"

Veronica lifted up her eyes immediately to him, and pretty much shot daggers at him. She so wasn't in the mood of Dick messing with her right now.

"Don't be an ass," Logan told him quietly even though Veronica heard him loud and clear. Logan however, just slapped Dick on his arm before turning back to Veronica. "Do you want to come in?"

Veronica's eyes widened slightly, but she still knew how even though she wanted, she couldn't stay. She'd been gone pretty much all day with Logan, and there were others out there who had been demanding her presence for a while now, so nah...she needed to go…

It wasn't as if tonight's conversation had been going all that well anyway…

"Can't. Have to go," She told Logan simply, yet couldn't ignore when his face fell.

Dick looked at the pair and rolled his eyes. "Dorks," He chanted loudly with a puff before marching his way back into the house. "When you guys are finished with the misty goodbye call me Loggie…" He shouted already with his back to Logan and Veronica. "Bye Ronnie! See ya girl!"

Veronica rolled her eyes but still couldn't help but smile at Dick. "Your friend, not mine," She told Logan lightly patting his arm playfully.

And even when Logan did smile at her, he also stared into her eyes far too strongly after she spoke. He took then a deep breath. "Thank you for today, Veronica…really…"

His voice was serious and earnest making Veronica smile in spite of herself. "You can stop the thank yous now, or I'll start believing what people keep telling me…"

"And what is that?"

"That I'm getting soft with the years," She told him with a smile Logan easily matched.

"You should come back though V…Sometime…if you want to…" Logan dared saying then; the truth of the matter was that today hadn't been what he expected it to be when veronica volunteered to help him get home, so…Logan simply wanted a little more time with her. God knew she was probably going to run back to Los Angeles as fast and as soon as she could, so he had to make the best of the time she'll be here, no?

"What do you say?" Logan asked her hopeful then again. "Just…come visit anytime…" He was going to be homebound anyway for a few days with that of the no driving thing his doctor and Dick told him…

In any case, Veronica just shrugged at him. "I'll think about it," She told him with a smirk, though only a minute later she smiled playfully before walking back to her car.

Logan watched her hop in and then smiled when she waved at him goodbye from inside her car. Soon after Veronica was already gone, but Logan still was left there feeling something he hadn't felt in quite some time already…she was _home_…Veronica Mars was home, and for better or worse, that made him happy. Sure, it complicated things —for the both of them— but it still made him happy nonetheless…

_"What's that you're holding?"_

_Wallace looked down at the small wrapped box in his hands, before sticking out his lips unsure, and handing it over to Veronica. "Your pal Logan asked me to give it to you…"_

_Veronica took in Wallace's words as well at the present in her hands slowly. If she could take a guess, she'd say it was a peace offering…_

_She wasn't sure however if she would like it or not._

_"Well, are you gonna open it?" Wallace asked then when Veronica was like frozen simply holding and looking down at the box._

_After that, it took yet a few more moments before Veronica looked up at Wallace and nodded. The present was badly wrapped, but that didn't surprise her —Logan was actually a very good gift giver, yet probably the worst gift wrapper in history._

_At last, when Veronica opened the small box, both she and Wallace caught sight of a book inside._

_"A book?" Wallace asked as she took it out and the two of them eyed it._

_Veronica shrugged at him as she put the box down and looked at the book —she then honestly couldn't keep a small chuckle at bay —Logan probably hated, hell, even loathed this book and also the movie —he just hated it and Veronica knew as much. That alone made her appreciate his peace offering a little more._

_She smiled down at the book, and then looked up only to be met with Wallace's confused look. "Breakfast at Tiffany's?" He asked, making a face._

_Veronica chuckled again. "I guess," She answered as she opened the book and her eyes landed on the big blue post-it stuck on the back of one of the first pages. Veronica let out a breath as her eyes read through Logan's handwriting._

_"What does it say?" Wallace asked before he could catch the words coming from his mouth. "I mean, you don't have to tell me," He corrected himself quickly._

_Veronica in any case did not mind. "It says, and I quote, 'You know what's wrong with you, Miss Whoever-you-are? You're a chicken, you've got no guts. You're afraid to stick out your chin and say, "Okay, life's a fact, people do fall in love, people do belong to each other, because that's the only chance anybody's got for real happiness. You call yourself a free spirit, a "wild thing," and you're terrified somebody's gonna stick you in a cage. Well baby, you're already in that cage. You built it yourself. And it's not bounded in the west by Tulip, Texas, or in the east by Somali-land. It's wherever you go. Because no matter where you run, you just end up running into yourself…" Veronica looked at Wallace wearing an unreadable look before closing the book and shrugging at her friend…_

_Wallace felt bad about Veronica immediately and in that moment he couldn't think in the right thing to tell her. He matched her shrugging after a beat. "Isn't that quote from the movie though? Not from the book?" He pointed out just to fill the silence. "You'd think Logan would know that,"_

_Veronica chuckled quietly because he did know, and she knew that. "He does,"_

_"Then how come he gave you the book and not the movie?"_

_Veronica looked down sadly at the book on her Dad's coffee table, and one more time, shrugged her shoulders. "Holly ends up with Paul or Fred, or whatever his name was, in the movie…" Veronica explained in a small voice. "She however, doesn't end up with the guy in the book…" In the book Holly goes off to Brazil, then Argentina, then who knows where, but the point was that the two of them didn't end up together. Holly was, as she liked to call herself and as Logan had just reminded Veronica, a free spirit, a wild thing —something that Veronica could understand and even relate to._

_Logan knew that as well, and that was probably why he was letting her go —he got it, he got her…_

_In that moment, Veronica wasn't sure if she hated him or loved him…then again, when had she known that for sure, really?_

* * *

**_TBC! Thank you so much for reading! Hope you liked it! :)_**


	6. You&Me - Chapter Six

**Author's Note :** I feel I should thank you all for reading/alerting/favoriting etc this story yet again! Thank youuu! I hope y'all are enjoying it so far! And for those asking for more LoVe, it's coming, I promise! :)

_Flashbacks are in Italic!_

**You&Me - Chapter Six**

* * *

_The first time Veronica heard Logan's voice after she transferred to UCLA, had been through a voice-mail. It was tenth week over there, and with finals week right around the corner, she'd found herself cramming information for the better part of the time. It had been a little before midnight when she left student union after yet another study session. When she checked her phone, there it had been; a missed call with Logan's name and picture staring pointedly back at her._

_Veronica had felt stupid how after a little over a year and a half, she had still felt her breath caught up in her throat at the sight of his name._

_In the end however, despite Veronica's initial response to think something was wrong with him, she even found herself smiling as she heard the message Logan had left for her —he'd even been doing that cute mumbling and rambling thing he did on the phone just as she remembered him… _

_"Hey, I know we haven't spoken in a while, but…hm…I, uh, I got an interesting call about you…"Logan paused there for a moment too long making Veronica a little bit anxious for a while there. "I bet the FBI didn't tell you they'd be calling your former boyfriends to dig dirt on you, huh? Makes you wonder whom else they'd called, huh? Anyway, I just…I thought I should tell you Ronnie. I, uh…Good luck Veronica…"_

_With her heart beating a little bit faster than normal, Veronica walked to her doom-room, and while she tried, she couldn't help the smile on her face as she played his words over and over in her head. She hated herself a little, but even though she knew it was irrational, she hated Logan a little too for still making her feel so much with just some words._

_Veronica breathed in deeply as she finally made it to her room, and lazily laid on the bed staring up at the maroon ceiling. She'd been in Neptune last summer but Logan hadn't been there —or so that was what everybody told her. He'd taken an internship in Atlanta of some sort or something. Veronica decided not to ask more, but right now, she was curious about how his life was coming together. They would be college graduates in just one semester —well, maybe two for Dick— so it only made sense that just like her, Logan already had some plans as to how his life was going to look in a few years' time, no?_

_It was then when she decided the best thing would be to call him —Logan had taken the first step after all calling her first, so it was only the polite thing to do to call him back, right?_

_After she picked up the phone and dialed —she still knew that number by heart for some reason— Veronica didn't have to wait too long before Logan picked up —it barely rang once before he was already picking up and speaking. "You called back," _

_Veronica's eyed widened and for a moment she didn't know what to say back to that —Logan in all honesty sounded a little more surprised than Veronica would have liked. Did he really think she wouldn't have the decency to call him back? _

_"Veronica,"_

_"Hi," She spoke at last, almost forcing the words out —why, oh why she felt oh so nervous right now again? "Can you blame me for wanting to know what you told the feds about me?"_

_"Guess I can't now…" Logan told her back simply, yet Veronica could so distinctly hear the smile in his voice._

_She smiled too after a beat. "It's been a while," She pointed out just because then._

_Logan shrugged to himself —Not shit, Ronnie… _

_"I has." He agreed simply in the end before speaking quickly again. "So the FBI, huh?" _

_"Yeah," Veronica answered, as she started twirling a small strand of hair in her finger absently. "Made it to phase II, so who knows and I might just have a future in this racket …" _

_Logan let out a puff of air and shook his head –he heard, loud and clear the self-doubt in her voice masked in her quippy comeback. Logan wondered then if Veronica had already forgotten how well he knew her? Whatever the case was, she should know better than to doubt herself. She was Veronica freaking Mars after all. "Pretend I'm a little slow in the brain; explain what this phase II business is?"_

_"Pretend?"_

_Logan groaned and while Veronica wasn't seeing him, she knew he was rolling his eyes —she smiled feeling accomplished before speaking again. "Phase II is just a lot of testing, I've been to DC two times already this month alone…" She told him, unable not to feel excited. She had a lot of support from both the FBI agents she'd gotten to work with during past summer internships, and also from a bunch of faculty members at UCLA. Veronica knew she had relatively high chances to get in, but as always, she didn't want to get her hopes too high just in case…after all it wouldn't be the first, nor the last time they universe would disappoint her in the last minute, right?_

_"This is also the Phase when the FBI likes to call just every acquaintance I've ever had, so that's why you got the call I suppose,"_

_Logan was quiet after that, and it actually took Veronica a good moment to figure out what she'd say that made him silent. "I just called you an acquaintance, didn't I?"_

_"I think you did, V…" Logan replied back rolling his eyes. He started playing with a pen he had handy as he waited for her to say something —he knew deep inside she hadn't meant it like that, but still…kinda harsh Veronica…_

_"Well you aren't," Veronica clarified needlessly. At last, she sat up back up on her bed, and stopped fidgeting with her hair. "If you must know, you are the boy with the name I listed as one of my longest running relationships." She told him seriously, yet softly enough. "You are also the boy with the famous last name, who has had his fair share of law infringement encounters over the years…I actually shouldn't be surprised they saw you like a bit of a red flag in my application…I probably should've been the one to call and warn you…" Veronica said thoughtfully mostly to herself._

_Logan in any case found himself unable not to smile. So he was still one of her longest running relationships, huh? If only they've managed to stall the ending a bit more…_

_"That would have been awkward though…" Logan chimed in playfully after a moment._

_Veronica actually chuckled at those words, not at all realizing how much Logan treasured hearing that sound —it had been so long, and even when he hated himself for still being so hung up on Veronica, he still wouldn't trade the feeling that hearing her voice again did to him…_

_"Who knows and when you called I would have been out doing something especially glamorous somewhere, unable to take your call, and you my dear, would have been forced to leave world's most awkward and embarrassing voice mail on your ex's phone…nah, V…I really think me doing the first call was the best…I don't think you could have been able to take so much awkwardness in one sitting…"_

_And of course his words were then the perfect cue to laughter the two of them so desperately needed._

_The moment then was finished sooner rather than later, and Veronica found herself swallowing hard right before she took the baton for Logan, and filled the silence. "I've missed you…" She told him honestly; hoping at the very least Logan would trust her with that._

_And he did. Yet the one thought through his head was how much HE knew the feeling. "I miss you too, Ronnie…" He said, and while Logan wasn't thinking about it much, Veronica didn't fail to catch how Logan used the present tense unlike her._

_ "It's funny though," Veronica told him softly after a moment of comfortable silence between them._

_Logan twisted his lips and narrowed his eyes thinking for a moment. "What exactly?" He asked her back cautiously._

_"How we can just fall back into…well, you know, fall back into ourselves…" Veronica said, and while she wasn't sure her words made all that much sense, she was hoping they made sense to Logan._

_ "Yeah." Logan replied then not missing a beat. "It sure doesn't feel as though we haven't spoken to one another in almost two years, right?"_

_Veronica laughed. "Aw, see, and I thought I was the only one keeping track…" She told him easily making Logan laugh slightly at her too._

_Quite frankly though, it took almost everything he had not to pinch himself to make sure this was really happening and he hadn't in fact fallen asleep in front of his own laptop and three cans of red-bull. "It's been a while, but…"_

_But what, huh? Veronica let out a long breath before closing her eyes and saying the next thing due —sadly enough it might ruin the light mood, but somehow she knew she had to say it whether she liked it or not._

_"Logan," She called his name after a beat causing Logan to snap out of his own thoughts quickly. "Two years ago…I…I was, well, you know how I was, I was pissed, and…I'd messed up bad with my Dad, at school…with Piz…you…but…"_

_"What?"_

_"But I've thought about it, and I…I took it out on you, and well…it wasn't fair…" Veronica told him in a quiet voice, yet sounding as honest as could be. "I thought you should know that…"_

_A moment's silence passed while the two of them swallowed hard at the abrupt change of subject._

_Logan took the lead to speak first then. "I distinctly remember forgetting all about that V…" He said easily, yet Veronica's eyes for one reason or the other welled with tears._

_Only Logan could just look away from how nasty she'd been to him before moving from Neptune, huh? "You are a good person, Logan Echolls; don't let anyone tell you otherwise, kay?"_

_Logan snorted, yet was quick to answer back. "Are you kidding Ronnie, I'll punch first whoever dares say such a thing about me," He said seriously enough, yet broke down laughing the instant Veronica did it first. _

_"Of course unless that person is you," Logan added as an afterthought. He would never in this life lay a hand on Veronica and he thought it was important she knew it._

_Veronica in any case simply nodded to herself before sighing slightly. "How did we even finish talking about punching people, huh?" She asked him rhetorically making Logan smile at the other end —he had no idea whatsoever either. "You haven't even told me anything about the call with the feds and that was the reason I called in the first place…" She said softly then, and while Logan couldn't possibly know the face she was making as she spoke, he could actually bet money she was pouting yet at the same time smiling with her eyes in that mischievous way she did sometimes._

_"Well, it looks as though we are in a bit of a pickle Mars…" Logan told her simply trying to hide from his voice the sudden nerves he felt. Damn, talking to girls didn't make him nervous —then again, this wasn't just a girl he was talking with…it was Veronica…_

_"What do you propose then, Echolls?"_

_"Hmm…" Logan let out playfully building the suspense before speaking again. "Buy me a coffee sometime and I'll tell you everything…"_

_Veronica rolled her eyes yet couldn't help the smile on her face. Wasn't it so wrong she was dying to just say yes? "Are you going to be home for the holidays?"_

_He would if she asked him to be. "Are **you** going to be back for the holidays?" _

_Veronica shrugged to herself even though Logan couldn't see her. "I just might –you are after all withholding information from me, and that's just not acceptable, you know?"_

_Logan chuckled quietly. "Of course it's not…" He agreed with her honestly. _

_"So are you going to be in Neptune?"_

_Logan found himself smiling and nodding at her words. Took him a moment or two before he realized he hadn't really answered Veronica's question and she was still waiting. "I suppose I will now…" He told her in a mocking voice. "It's not as though I can keep information from a future FBI agent, now can I?"_

_Why in the world that question made her so happy, she wasn't sure, yet it did. She'd spent the last two years working her ass off at school. Quite honestly, trying to forget just about everything in Neptune —not her father or her close friends— but yes all of the bad stuff. Sadly, enough lots of the things she ached to forget included Logan. Then again, right now, at the verge of seeing him again after all this time, it was honestly the first time Veronica felt that twinge of happiness in her stomach she hadn't felt in so so long…_

_Maybe calling him had been a good thing after all. It had been two years and three months since she moved from Neptune and last saw Logan –it was an understatement to say the two of them must have changed, right? She knew she had, so perhaps, Logan had to, no?_

_"Good," Veronica replied at last, before a long yawn escaped her mouth._

_Logan smiled picturing in his head the face Veronica was making. She used to have that habit of scrunching up her nose and almost pout every time after she yawned. "I should let you sleep now," Logan said simply, while inside he felt a bit sad they had to hang up. "You in finals, no?"_

_"Dead week," Veronica replied letting herself sigh —she found herself not really wanting to hang up, but still she knew she was exhausted and should do as Logan told her. She sighed one more time. "You?" _

_"Finals week —but you know me, all the hard studying was done at the beginning of the term, so I can just now sit down and relax…"_

_Veronica couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, right…" She told him knowingly. "You pulling an all-nighter?"_

_Logan was quiet for a moment too long making Veronica laugh again. "Black coffee makes you pee like a pregnant lady so shy away —I know it's tempting," Veronica told him then in the most serious voice she could make. "Red-bull is your friend, I promise…" She said smiling slightly as she looked at her own pile of study books… "Do not mix it with vodka though!"_

_If only for a moment then Veronica let herself think about how different things would be if she'd stayed in Neptune. Never mind everybody else, and she just might be in Logan's place pulling the same all–nighter he was, yet with a whole lot more of added fun…_

_Oh well…_

_"What about the heart palpitations after the fifth can?" Logan asked her playfully breaking Veronica from her thoughts._

_"Ah, you are such a girl," Veronica told him with a small chuckle. "You may stop the studying then and go to bed, but you'll have to still remember that going to bed ignorant is a privilege we shouldn't abuse, got it?"_

_Logan smiled and shook his head before answering. "I got it V…" He told her softly, and heard as Veronica let out a long breath then. "It was good talking to you."_

_It had been. "It was…" She told him back simply. "I'll see you…"_

_"Yeah," He answered softly, followed by a moment of silence. Neither was brave enough to hang up the phone quite yet. _

_Logan thought and from all the things he still wanted to tell her, there was one that was more important than the rest. "Hey Veronica,"_

_"Yeah?"_

_"This FBI thing,"_

_"What about it?" Veronica asked him as she slowly lay back down on her bed, and curled to her side careful not to move to phone from her ear. _

_"It's a long shot, even I know that…" Logan said in a serious voice —it was actually the first time this night he'd used that particular serious tone. "But…if anyone can do it, that's you bobcat…I promise,"_

_She smiled at the vote of confidence and nodded even if Logan couldn't see her. How did he know she doubted herself about actually making it to the academy? Veronica had no clue whatsoever, yet Logan had been right on the money. She'd been needing to hear that —and not just from anybody but from someone who mattered…_

_And holy shit, Logan Echolls still mattered to her and while deep inside she'd always known it, it didn't hit Veronica how much until that moment. She honestly wasn't an approval seeker, per se, but…holy cow it mattered to her that Logan thought she could do it…_

_"Thank you doofus,"_

_Logan chuckled quietly. "You're welcome knucklehead…"_

_xxxx_

"I don't get it…"

Even when on any other given day the interruption would have caused Veronica to at least glare at whomever dared to do it, she was willing to make an exception today. "You don't get what?"

Lilia turned her scrunched up face to Veronica and shrugged. "Why this is one of your favorite movies?"

Veronica's eyes went wide immediately, and even when Mac wasn't directly included in the conversation, she stopped eating her handful of popcorn midway at those words.

Needlessly to say Veronica reached for the remote and paused the movie staring pointedly at Lilia in seconds. "Kid you _can not_ just say something like that about the big Lebowski," Veronica tried to explain calmly before Mac easily chimed in.

"No you don't…" She told Lilia with a playful wink. "Especially not to Veronica," She added making Lilia smile slightly.

She still wasn't convinced though. "I still don't see why you like it so much,"

Veronica took a deep breath before squaring Lilia to her. "Everything the dude says, is…"

"Epic?" Mac filled in for Veronica.

"Yeah!" The blonde responded enthusiastically. "If you want reasons why this movie is one of the best movies ever made, I'll give you reasons…"

"Okay,"

"Okay," Veronica replied seriously. "It breaks each and every filming rule and yet doesn't fail,"

"Main character's the dude," Mac chimed in smiling goofily —truth was, she was fond of the movie as well…Veronica was indeed a very persistent little blonde, and didn't give up until Mac loved it almost as much as she did.

"Yes," Veronica said with a strong nod. "Also the dude's robe…his cool wearing sun glasses inside, for God's sake…"

"Life goes on man…"

"Shut the fuck up Donny…"

"Talking mustache,"

"Dream sequences…"

"The dude appearing in _every _scene,"

Despite Veronica's and Mac's tries, in response, Lilia simply let out a long breath and shook her head. "Honestly, I'm not impressed Veronica," Lilia concluded at last. "I'm just going to go to bed…"

Veronica's jaw just about dropped to the floor as Lilia actually got up from the couch. "Are you serious?"

"I'll see you tomorrow," She told Veronica before walking out of the living room.

Veronica groaned annoyed leaning back on the couch. Mac laughed at her before reaching for her drink and taking a sip. "I'm impressed she walked out of this room without you going all crazy on her for disagreeing with ya, sister,"

Veronica chuckled, but still shook her head. "So she has crappy taste in movies, given it's her, I'd let it go…" She said simply, before rethinking her thoughts. "For now," She added, smiling in Mac's direction before getting a handful of popcorn from Mac's bowl.

"So how's it working out?"

Veronica narrowed her eyes slightly. "What exactly?"

"You babysitting her?" Mac told Veronica simply —after all this time knowing each other at the very least they could be honest and direct with one another without too much trouble.

"Surprisingly not that bad," Veronica acknowledged honestly. "She's a cool kid, and I kinda like her, which helps…"

"I guess…" Mac said thoughtfully. "So what's the story?" She asked after a beat. "Like I know what the news say, but…"

"It isn't the whole truth, I know," Veronica finished the sentence for Mac. She let out a breath before speaking again. "But the worst part is we don't even know the whole truth. She doesn't talk about it. As far as we know, she was kept in decent conditions," Veronica refused to say good conditions, that just wasn't possible. "She was fed properly, clothed, had her own room in the second floor of the house…" Veronica explained as she too went through all the facts she knew again. "She was locked up in the basement when we found her, but from the little she said, she was only locked up when the guy left the house for any reason…any other time she could be wherever in the house…"

Mad twisted her lips as she processed the information. "The news said she never tried to escape,"

Veronica shook her head and made at uneasy face at that. "That's what she told me, but we are not yet in the why…"

Mac let out a breath and shrugged a shoulder in Veronica's direction. "At least she's out of that nightmare now though?"

"I guess," Veronica replied, but it was obvious she wasn't convinced at all. "She's not going to be able to move past this unless she speaks though…"

Mac smiled but it wasn't exactly because of what Veronica told her. "That's very shrinky-like of you to say, Bond?"

Veronica rolled her eyes but still couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, after all this time I'm starting to think they are really onto something with the whole talking your feelings crap," She mused before the two of them laughed…

"Jokes aside, it'd be honestly perfect if she decided to start speaking," Veronica spoke after a moment. Mac looked back at her curiously. "I mean for selfish reasons besides the obvious…"

"Like what?" Mac asked simply, munching on some cold popcorn.

Veronica shrugged. "Well, for starters my boss would hate my guts a little less —that'd be good." She told Mac sincerely with a smile. "But I did mean what I said earlier, the kid needs it. She's bottling it all up, and that can't be good, can it?"

"Nah, I don't think so…" Mac agreed easily. "Then again…can't be easy to talk about something like that, no?"

"True that Q…"

After that, the two of them talked for a few more minutes before they decided to put on the movie again.

Didn't take too long before the big Lebowski had to be paused yet again though —this time however, the topic of conversation hadn't been the 21-year-old sleeping down the hall.

"So Logan's out of the hospital…"

Mac laughed quietly to herself before she did the honors this time and reached out for the remote pausing the movie. "Lay out the ground rules for me, Veronica," Mac said flippantly. "Am I allowed to talk to you about Logan again? Should I tell you the whole truth or sugar coat it? Is this a trick and I shouldn't really say anything at all? You tell me, V…"

Despite her light tone, Veronica grew serious at Mac's questions —it had been a long time since Veronica had directly asked about Logan. That had been one of the things she had been the most strict with for the last few years —out of sight out of mind she thought she could pull off. But she'd been kidding herself, and ever since she stepped foot back in Neptune she'd been regretting it. Logan was her longest friend, and despite any romantic faults, she hated the fact that she didn't know a whole lot from his life right now.

After a moment, Veronica let out a deep breath and looked at Mac in the eye. "I don't wanna put you in the middle…" Veronica knew that even when Mac was one of _her _closest friends in the world, she was also pretty damn close to Logan now. The last thing Veronica wanted to do was put her in an even more awkward situation to be honest.

Mac in any case shrugged her shoulders at Veronica —she was already in the middle, she knew that. "Logan and I talked about you the other day," Veronica's eyes widened at that confession, yet Mac kept speaking before the tiny blonde could get a word in. "Nothing too bad I swear," She promised before Veronica could start freaking out more. And it worked, because that last tidbit of info did make Veronica relax a little as Mac continued. "But the moment I did that, I allowed myself to be in the middle, which is okay…to a degree," She warned seriously enough. "I told him some things so I suppose it's only fair if I answer some of your questions as well…"

Veronica smiled softly in Mac's direction before nodding her head.

"For what it's worth Veronica, you and Logan, you should talk to him, I can tell you what I know, what I _think _I know, but nothing is going to answer whatever questions you have about Logan's life, other than Logan himself…"

Veronica looked away from Mac for a second and shook her head —she'd heard that advice before from her Dad, and even when Veronica knew it was accurate, she knew she just couldn't go to him without at least knowing a little of how things were…

"I will talk to Logan," Veronica said then at last, shifting her eyes to meet those blue ones of Mac. "I just need to know a little the waters I'm getting into before deciding to dive in or not," And even when Veronica was serious as she said that, she knew that was partly BS —she'd already decided to dive in, the thing now was decide how deep to go…

Mac however, simply nodded her head at Veronica's words, giving the illusion that she trusted her petite blonde best friend. "Three questions, that's my limit…I'll answer three questions, you can take it or leave it…"

Veronica couldn't help smiling at that. She'd take it. "Fine,"

"Okay, go ahead then…" Mac said as she ate the last few bits of her popcorn before resting back on the couch and eyeing Veronica curiously.

Veronica made a face as she thought about her first question carefully. After a moment, she was ready. "When Logan and I broke up,"

Mac made an incredulous face. "Which time?"

It was absolutely a fair question, yet it was enough to make Veronica roll her eyes and lightly punch Mac on her arm. "The last time…" Veronica clarified in any case. "It's been years and I'm still trying to understand what really happened there…" She said aloud then without thinking. That was an afterthought she'd kept mostly to herself for the last almost three years, yet right now it slipped out before she could do anything about it.

"I'm not sure I know what that means…" Mac's voice broke Veronica from her own thoughts.

Up until this day, Veronica had never voluntarily talked about that particular breakup —for starters, things had happened fairly fast, and almost as soon as Veronica told them all she and Logan were no longer together, she was also announcing she had gotten engaged with that doctor boyfriend she'd been seeing before Logan…

In the end however, while fast and not expected at all, almost everybody she knew had respected her decision, and mostly her determination not to speak —_ever_— about Logan with them.

The resolution had gone to hell now apparently though.

"I'm not sure what it means either," Veronica spoke at last, lightly shrugging her shoulder.

Mac stayed quiet at that, but still stared at Veronica quite uneasily.

"You want me to tell you about the breakup, don't you?"

Mac shook her head —not really. "But you do,"

Veronica let out a long breath before rolling her eyes at Mac —damn, why was she always right? "Logan broke up with me," Five little words Veronica hadn't spoken aloud in two years and seven months —she mostly always saved that line of thoughts for those nights of insomnia –now however, they were out…

"Why?" Mac asked back before she could help herself. She cringed after the words were out and she realized she was being nosier than she probably should.

Veronica made a face at that and shook her head. "I honestly don't know…" She told Mac honestly, yet the sadness in her voice was palpable.

Mac was suddenly feeling horribly but still stayed put as Veronica kept speaking. "Something was up, I know as much, but…I don't know, he said he just needed some time and other bullshit," Veronica said honestly as the scenes of that night started playing in her mind yet again. "He broke it off," She added to what Mac simply nodded her head slowly. "You were here in Neptune, how was he?"

Mac shook her head at the question immediately —if Veronica didn't know, then Mac was tenfold more lost than she was. "Here is what I know; Logan was an idiot for months while you two dated again, he was…" Completely in love and if Mac could say so, happy for real. From afar, it looked as though they were making it work, but apparently that wasn't the way things were, given how they broke up, no?

"He was genuinely happy, like…we could tell as much, but then…"

"What?"

"I didn't know you guys had broken up at first, all I know was all of a sudden we just stopped seeing Logan around. He was shutting everybody out —even Dick…" Mac tried to explain as best as she could. "I actually didn't see any of Logan for like two or three months…" Mac explained slowly. "We had no idea what was going on with him, until he called me out of nowhere one day to ask about you,"

"What did you tell him?" Veronica was quick to ask then. She had actually heard a bit of that side of the story —by the time Mac called her to tell her Logan had called and was planning to head out to LA, Veronica had been already engaged with Josh.

"I told him you and I haven't spoken in a while," The truth. "I told him that as far as I knew you were kicking serious ass but that anything else he should go ask _you,_ you know, the usual, Veronica." And that was the truth, despite recent events, Mac had always been pretty good at staying away from Veronica's and Logan's couple issues —she was friend of both, but that certainly didn't mean she needed to middle between them every time the two of them forgot how to communicate.

"And he told you he was going to LA?"

Mac gave Veronica a strong nod in the name of an answer.

It was enough for the tiny blonde though. "So what happened after he came back?"

"He was a mess," Mac answered without missing a beat. "I think it was that same night he got into a bad bar fight and needed bail to get out. It was as though Logan hadn't been hit by the breakup until that day, I don't know…"

Well, neither did Veronica. "Thank you Mackie"

The term made Mac growl with annoyance, yet she was glad Veronica had chosen a small smile to go with her deliver of gratitude. "First off, you have nothing to thank me for," She told Veronica seriously then. "And second, nobody, _nobody_ calls me Mackie, so that was the first and last time you did, okay Veronica?"

Veronica snorted at her serious tone yet nodded her head. "Do you wanna finish watching the movie now?" She asked as her eyes shifted to the TV before her. Veronica honestly did not want to finish watching it —as odd as that alone was, she simply just wasn't in the mood anymore. It was polite that she asked anyway…but more pressing matters where in her head right now.

Eventually she and Logan needed to talk, no? Or…well, maybe not…after all hadn't they gone almost three years without talking about it? They had both moved on, right? She was engaged for Heaven's sake, but…deep inside Veronica knew she didn't want to live a life where Logan was always the one who got away without she even knowing why.

She honestly didn't have it in herself to just leave it like that, so maybe a talk was indeed due…how or when, she had no clue, but sooner rather than later, she knew it was due to happen…

* * *

**AN:** Thank you so much for reading! In hopes to answer the unasked question, yup, present time LoVe goodness in the next chapter! :)


	7. You&Me - Chapter Seven

**Author's Note : **Chapter's divided in two as usual, first part in Italics is the _flashback_, second part in normal lettering is _present time_. Just so you can have a better idea of the timeline, first part takes place around August _2010_, while present time is June _2014_ -so yup, there's still story to be told :) hope you guys are liking this so far! As always, thank you so much for reading!

**You&Me - Chapter Seven**

* * *

_It had been a quarter to twelve when Veronica noticed her phone buzzing loudly, and glowing in the dark of her bedroom. She lifted her hand rubbing sleep off her eyes as she slowly willed herself to wake up. Before falling asleep she had been texting back and forth with Logan for a while, but when the texts stopped, she had stopped fighting sleep as well and gone to bed instead._

_Now it was almost three hours since she'd fallen asleep, and a brand new message of Logan was waiting for her to read it. Veronica sat up sleepily on her bed as she reached over for the phone and swiped her finger on the screen to read the message._

_Needlessly to say she was wide-awake and alert the very instant her eyes landed on the words Logan had written._

_ Buzz me in, please? Standing on your building's entrance atm._

_"What the—," Veronica mumbled as she clumsily got up from her bed, and stumbled in the direction of her window. Luckily for her, she'd picked the room with the view to the street. The actual sight of Logan down there was enough to make Veronica gasp with surprise._

_He wasn't looking up, so Logan had no idea she was looking down at him. She bit her lip and took a deep breath before closing her blinds, and slowly heading out of her room to buzz him in. They had been talking about lots of things earlier, but surely Veronica would remember if he'd told her he was driving to LA just because, right?_

_In the end, only a couple minutes later after Veronica let Logan into the building, he was standing before her door knocking lightly on it._

_Veronica gave herself yet another moment before she opened the door for him. Her face lit up the instant Logan opened his mouth and spoke. With just those five little words he said before even bothering to utter a hello, Veronica knew exactly why this boy she'd known for such a long time, had decided to drive all the way from Neptune to LA without thinking about it twice._

_"It's still your birthday, right?"_

_Veronica was chuckling before she could do anything about it. "Technically, yeah," She told him with a smile. "Seven more minutes and your crazy drive would've been for nothing though," She added, as she stepped aside slightly, letting him in the apartment. _

_Logan looked somewhat out of breath, but other than that, he looked well. Button down shirts had always done the trick for Veronica —she liked how they looked on him._

_"No, no nothing," Logan said playfully then as he walked past Veronica and into the small apartment. "I would have still seen you, so…that's not nothing, it's…"_

_"Something?" Veronica finished the sentence for him, offering a shrug along with her words._

_Logan narrowed his eyes playfully before he nodded. "Exactly…it would've been something at least…"_

_Veronica let a smile play on her lips as she eyed him running that restless hand of his through his hair. "I have to say though; you are a little crazy for making the drive…" She told him honestly then with a shrug of her shoulders._

_Logan however, looked at her as if she were crazy and shook his head. "Nonsense," He said resolutely. "It's your birthday, Veronica, and from what I gathered from your texts, you didn't do anything, so…" He let his sentence trail off shrugging again at Veronica._

_"Never knew you cared so much about other's birthdays…" Veronica mused then even when she knew better than that._

_Logan didn't care really that much about other's birthdays, he cared about hers, and this little drive made that oh-so very clear to her. _

_She let herself smile softly then as she mused that thought. Logan could indeed be sweet and caring when he let himself be. "I would've done something, but…well…birthday fell on a Monday, what was I supposed to do about that?" She added after a beat._

_"Not nothing?" Logan tried with a smirk on his face, making Veronica chuckle._

_She shook her head at him, but it was in that same instant that she decided to put her guard down. She hadn't actually seen Logan in a few months, since he came down for her graduation actually, but they had still kept in touch through emails and texts every once in a while. Veronica would be lying if she denied how nice it'd been to have him back in her life somehow. They didn't see each other all the time, didn't even live in the same town anymore, but at the very least Veronica wasn't a complete stranger to his life as they'd been to one another only a year ago…_

_"Thank you for coming," It was the understatement of the year to say her birthday had just gotten exponentially better —even if technically there were only four minutes left of said birthday day._

_Logan shrugged. He stared into her eyes seriously for a beat or two before licking his lips and speaking again. "This place's better than the crappy dorm room you had at UCLA for sure," He commented casually then, avoiding to take credit for coming here in the first place._

_Veronica read right through him and rolled her eyes playfully. She went with it though. "It is," She said looking around at the still–too-small-for-words apartment, yet of course an upgrade from the door room she lived in for three years._

_"Your roommate's home?" _

_Veronica nodded. "Yeah. She starts a shift at the hospital like at 4am, so she's been in bed since 7 or something," Veronica told Logan, looking briefly down the hall in the direction of the bedrooms. She shrugged, surely, the location of this apartment and the joke of rent she was paying, was worth the roommate. Veronica and Luisa weren't exactly BFFs, but so far, it was working. Veronica needed a place close to downtown LA and this one had just been it —roommate included and all._

_Logan for some reason found her words amusing, and he smiled mischievously. "Gotta keep our partying quiet then if we don't want her to go mad crazy on us, huh Dorkus?"_

_Veronica let out a quick snort of laughter. The 'roomie' wasn't really known for her people skills, and/or friendly personality, and as much Logan had heard from Veronica. For one reason or the other, it made her smile knowing he paid attention and actually remembered the stuff she'd told him._

_It wasn't after a moment later, that yet another thing in Logan's words clicked in Veronica's mind; Dorkus…_

_That alone made her sigh and look down._

_Logan caught on that but besides narrowing his eyes ever so slightly, he didn't say or do anything else. _

_Eventually, Veronica tilted her head and looked into his brown eyes. "Lilly used to call me Dorkus all the time…" She told him in a soft whisper after a beat. "I've completely forgotten about that…" She hated that. Knowing that it would only get worse with time, drove Veronica almost crazy. She loved Lilly, and even if it had been years since her then-best-friend passed, Veronica still missed her and hated the fact that with time she was doomed to forget all those little things that made Lilly so special to her._

_Annoying nicknames and all included. _

_Logan didn't flinch at her words, but his eyes did shift upwards for some reason. Veronica was looking at him curiously when he looked back down and their eyes met. "She would've been pissed at you for pretending today was just any other day," Logan pointed out then knowingly._

_Veronica stifled a loud. "Any excuse it's a good excuse for a party, right?" And what a better excuse than a birthday. Veronica smiled but that still didn't mean inwardly she wasn't thinking —yet again— how terribly unfair it was that Lilly wasn't here with them today. _

_She deserved so much better…_

_In the end, after another moment of silence, and both their minds drifting to Lilly, Logan cleared his throat. "So…you got any cake? I'll sing for ya if you are good," He smiled, making Veronica do the same._

_She shook her head at him though. "Nah, no cake, but…I got ice cream…" She told him with a light glimmer in her eyes. "Also vodka…"_

_Logan chuckled immediately at the latter. "There she is," He laughed that exact kind of laugh that used to make Veronica melt back when the two of them dated. Happy Logan sure was a sexy Logan. "Lilly would be so proud…" He said playfully then as both of them started walking in the direction of the small kitchen._

_Logan volunteered then to retrieve the alcohol from the very back of Veronica's cupboard. After grabbing it, he turned back to look at her with cautious eyes. "Why is it back there?"_

_Veronica tried her best to hide her smile at that question._

_"What, why?" Logan asked her again, as he set the bottle on the counter, to grab a couple of glasses._

_"Roomie dearest doesn't believe in the healing powers of alcohol, can you believe it? Weird, huh?" Veronica quipped, as she took the shot glasses from Logan's hands and headed her way back to the living room. She looked over her shoulder when Logan didn't follow right away. "Need an invitation, buddy?" She asked him jokingly; making him roll his eyes, yet also grin._

_Tonight sure was going to be fun._

_A few drinks followed then as well as some easy conversation. They talked about Neptune, and how everyone was doing, how freakishly hot it'd been lately, and how nice it would be if they got to see each other more often._

_It wasn't until the vodka bottle was half way empty that Logan asked that one little question he hadn't had the balls to ask a few weeks ago after one of his conversations with Veronica._

_"So you're dating, huh?"_

_And right then it'd been as if Logan had mentioned the devil, by the way Veronica's color simply drained from her face. Every time she drank something stronger than beer, she would blush after a while. She was a cheap drunk and that was just one of her telling signs. Right now however, she was as pale as could be._

_Surely, Logan's question took her aback. In the end however, she simply shrugged in his direction. "Yeah…" She told him softly. "Good guy. Just finished med school…he's one of Luisas' new interns at Cedars-Sinai…"_

_Logan wasn't really impressed, but he still kept a soft face and nodded. "Will he have any time for you while working all the odd hours at a hospital…?"_

_Veronica didn't like the question, or the way Logan asked it, yet she managed to keep her poker face on and pretended not to be bothered. "I never thought I'd date a doctor, if that's what you meant," She told him, feigning cluelessness. "But… I mean…I like him."_

_Logan's eyes softened at that last part. He steadied his eyes on hers and tried for a smile. It didn't quite reach his eyes though. "Yeah?"_

_"Mmhmm…" Just as Logan's question was softly asked, Veronica's answer was._

_He let out a breath, but then actually managed a sincere smile her way. "Good…" He told her simply. Veronica nodded as she poured them both yet another drink._

_Logan downed his while Veronica took a small sip looking at him out of the corner of her eye. Up until a month or so ago, he had been dating too. Her name was Quinn or something like that. She was an English lit major like Logan, but after graduation moved to the south after getting a good offer to teach. After her, Veronica hadn't heard of any new girls Logan had been seeing._

_She'd met Josh almost one year ago, he'd gone to UCLA as well, and for some reason the two of them had taken a seminary together last fall. For Veronica there was no spark at first, but after hanging out with him, they both realized the whole lot of things they had in common, and so started dating for real._

_Mentioning him to Logan hadn't been Veronica's priority, yet it slipped out a couple or so weeks ago during an email. She never meant to keep her boyfriend a secret, but if she was honest, she had to admit she never made an effort for Logan to know about him either…_

_Oh well…_

_After that the two of them were quiet for a couple of minutes. Veronica looking intently at the crack on the wall. She grew thoughtful suddenly, and Logan knew her head had gone somewhere completely different._

_Veronica then downed the last bit of her drink at once, and as liquid still burned in her throat, she reached out for the bottle, and poured herself and Logan yet another drink. _

_Before Logan even had the chance to ask what was wrong with her, or what was she thinking, Veronica decided to volunteer a little bit of the information hoping Logan clued in without her having to explain too much._

_"Do you remember my fifteen birthday?"_

_It took Logan a whole minute before it clicked, but eventually it did and he understood why she'd grown somber all of a sudden. That had been a bad day all together, all around…_

_"Nobody noticed but you…" Veronica said then before Logan could even nod his head at her first statement —she knew he remembered. He had to. "You got into trouble with your Dad that day, didn't you?"_

_Logan's features hardened at the mere mention of his Dad. He looked away from Veronica, and ever so slightly shook his head. _

_"I know you did, you don't have to say it…" Veronica spoke softly for Logan. She tilted her head looking at Logan, and patiently waited for him to shift his eyes in her direction. "Even at 15 you were brave enough to say something, to do something that day…" She admitted seriously. Granted, she already felt slightly tipsy, but she honestly did mean what she was telling Logan right now. "My mom was drunk out of her mind that day…but you…you didn't pretend it wasn't happening like everybody else did…you helped me get her inside without making a big deal. You didn't ignore it…" Veronica told him in earnest, as the memories of that birthday floated into her head._

_She let out a long breath before she started speaking again. "You did for me the very thing no one ever did for you when you were growing up," Logan visibly flinched at her words, but Veronica knew she was in too deep to stop now. "I could speak for myself and tell you I was never completely sure what was really happening behind closed doors in your house…between you and your Dad, but…we all kind of always knew, Logan…" She confessed, shame carrying with her voice. "We just stayed quiet and pretended the scar on the back of your wrist…" As she said that, Veronica reached out and grabbed his hand tenderly stroking a finger over the small scar. "Wasn't a cigarette burn scar but you accidentally burning yourself while making s'mores. We pretended the bruises you would show up with came from all the skating you never did and not from someone making them…we should've been better back then Logan," Veronica told him honestly. "Me and Lilly…Duncan…we were your best friends, we should of…"_

_"Veronica,"_

_At that, Veronica simply could breathe out deeply before turning and squaring Logan's face to hers. "I know what you are going to tell me…this is not why you came this late to my place, but…well…I just thought maybe you should know…" She shrugged, and smiled sadly looking into his eyes. "I am sorry…"_

_Logan didn't like the direction this conversation with Veronica had taken, but what the hell, now he was at least curious to know what she'll say…"For what exactly? It's not your fault I had the kind of Dad that I did…"_

_She shrugged. "It's not…but…I wasn't a good friend to you, so I'm sorry for that…"_

_Logan shook his head at her. He didn't say anything at that, but did lean in and sweetly kissed Veronica's forehead. He knew she wouldn't like what he was about to ask, but he thought he had to ask it anyway. Veronica was always so keen in helping others face their own demons, but sometimes she forgot how she was human too and should do as much sometimes as well. "How long it's been since you've seen your mom?"_

_She dropped her head at the question, and had another drink before answering. The bitter drink made her shiver, and she scrunched her nose looking at Logan. He was smiling at her —of course he was. She still was a cheap drunk and he knew it a little too well…_

_Veronica smiled, but still after a beat answered somberly. "Years…" She said sincerely._

_Out of sheer instinct, Logan's hand went to rest lightly on top of hers. Veronica flipped her hand around and let Logan entwined their fingers together. She had her eyes on their hands when Logan asked the next question. "Do you know anything about her?"_

_Veronica didn't answer for a while, but kept her eyes in their hands, before shifting her head and, looking up into his eyes. The room was dark enough that she couldn't make out the lines and details of his face, yet even in the darkish room, Veronica could still see and feel Logan's soft eyes on her —compassioned and kindly looking into her. "I could if I wanted, but…"_

_"You don't…" He finished for her. Veronica nodded._

_"Nope…" She said popping the p. "Not at all…" She added, shrugging her shoulders in Logan's direction. She waited a small moment before speaking again. "Do you think I should seek her out?" She asked Logan seriously then. "If it were you, you'd do it, wouldn't you?"_

_Oh wow, that was a loaded question Logan didn't see coming, yet it wasn't a very hard one for him to answer. Perhaps that was why Veronica asked it, she already knew the answer. He nodded. "You know I would." In spite of everything, he loved his mom more than anything, and not a day went by that he didn't think of her and missed her still…_

_Veronica was right; if she was alive and Logan had the ways to find her, he would…in a heartbeat…_

_"But you are not me," Logan added after a moment. "Thank goodness," He quipped, and thank Goodness it worked, and Veronica chuckled. He smiled. "I know your mom hurt you in ways that are too hard to get over. I get that, hell, I relate to that," He told her then in all seriousness. "But at the end of the day she's still your mom, Veronica, and if even for a moment you think you may be able to forgive her and give her a second chance, then I think yes, you should seek her out." He said before licking his dry lips._

_Logan let his words sink in for a small moment before speaking again. "Then again, if you don't think forgive and forget is something you can do, maybe you two living your lives separately is not the worst thing." He told her; his lips turned downward. "Family is not just something we can find and replace easily, you know? But if having her in your life means you'll be miserable or just waiting for her to screw up again and let you down, well…then…maybe you are in fact better off…"_

_Veronica didn't say anything at that —Logan knew what he was talking about it. Besides his sister and half-brother than he never saw and hardly ever spoke with, he didn't have any family. Of course he wouldn't hesitate to do the ole' forget and forgive act with his mother. If that was the only thing it took for him to have her back, Veronica was positive reconnecting with her would be exponentially easier for Logan than it could ever be for her. _

_She sighed. "When did you get so wise, huh?" She asked him biting on her thumbnail before smiling quickly and reaching down for the shot glass. She downed the drink and squished her eyes at the taste in her throat. She opened her eyes to find Logan smiling right back at her._

_"Happy birthday, Veronica…" He whispered looking softly into her eyes._

_Veronica tilted her head and allowed herself to smile and nod her head. "Thank you…" She said simply, hoping Logan knew everything she wasn't saying. After a beat, she pulled her legs up on the couch, and tucked herself close to Logan, resting her head on his shoulder._

_He stiffed at first, but after Veronica looked sideways into his eyes, Logan relaxed and even smiled. She felt his lips in her hair only a moment later._

_Just like at fifteen Logan had come through for her, helping her deal with her mother without asking a single question or making a comment she wouldn't like, Logan had come through Veronica today again. He'd taken the chance to show her just how much he still cared, and how in spite of all their history, he was still willing to do his best to be her friend and keeping her close._

_They were friends again, and considering their history, all the ups and downs in their relationship, having him as a real friend again wasn't honestly the worst possible thing…no…not at all…_

_xxxx_

_"Come visit any time,"_

Damn, Logan's words had been so innocent, and yet Veronica couldn't shut up the stupid nagging feeling in her belly ever since he'd said that to her. Maybe he was just being polite and Veronica was being a royal idiot reading so much into it? She'd brought him home from the hospital; of course Logan had felt the need to make whatever nice offer to her before heading out, right?

Crap!

Now it was way too late to second guess her decision to come though, since as of like a minute ago, she'd knocked already on his door.

Stupid feelings and awkwardness aside, Veronica actually liked Logan's new place. The last time she was here she barely even looked at the place —it was night time to begin with, but now…well, now she was getting to see the whole thing and she liked it. It was typical Logan to have it right on the beach, but overall Veronica liked it. Not that it mattered or should matter at all what she thought or not, but—

Oh crap he was opening the door now!

Veronica let out the breath she was holding when she saw Dick opened the door and not Logan —okay, that whole feeling of a sinking hole in her stomach at the anticipation of seeing Logan had most definitely not felt great —more on the lines of the worst thing in the whole entire world to be honest.

"Well, well, look who it is…" He smirked at her and while Veronica still found him slightly repulsive and could not for the life of her feel any kind of turn on at his words and attempt of a sexy face, she was still if only a tiny bit glad Dick wasn't hating on her anymore as he had back at the hospital a few days ago.

Veronica was actually feeling forgiving right now and was going to let go of that hate he threw her way, in the name of Dick just being sick with worry about Logan.

"Hello Dick," Veronica greeted him at last, casually trying to look over his shoulder to the inside of the house. What if Logan wasn't even home?

"Howdie V," Dick grinned at her widely before giving her the once-over look with a critical eye before his lips broke into a grin one more time. "You looking good," He noted, making Veronica roll her eyes when his eyes traveled to her bare legs again.

It was hot! She'd be crazy to wear anything but shorts in that freaking heat wave Neptune was apparently facing this June.

"You like what you see?" Veronica asked him in a low voice then taking one step closer to him. Dick's mouth dropped before he gingerly nodded his head once. "Well," Veronica breathed out before hopelessly shrugging her shoulders at him. "Keep it to yourself because there is no way in hell you'll ever going to have it." She smiled then at the way Dick's head fell and he groaned.

"You play dirty, Mars. I've forgotten that about you. Damn you girl," He muttered under his breath massaging the back of his head before looking back at Veronica. "Logan's in the living room…" Dick informed her then, finally stepping aside so that Veronica could walk in.

Veronica stepped through the door slowly and while she wanted to just go straight to where Logan was, she controlled herself and stayed put until Dick closed the door after her. "It's that way," Dick spoke then pointing with his finger in the direction of what Veronica knew now to be the living room.

She looked over back at him and raised a brow at the stupid idiotic smile on his face —he was dying to tell her something. "What is it Dick?" Veronica was honestly _this _close to lose it on him for some reason.

Dick in any case shrugged and just motioned her with his head again towards the living room. "You can come in, but I warn you Ronnie…Logan's with a girl," He said almost giggling making Veronica frown.

Was he high or what?

Veronica groaned rolling her eyes before walking to where he was standing. "What?" Dick smirked at her and just stared back making Veronica even more impatient and annoyed. "Talk," She ordered strongly.

Dick faked an innocent look before shrugging. "Logan! Ronica's here!" He shouted loud enough so anyone three miles from them could hear him.

Veronica wanted to kill him but still made herself not to, in the name of being an officer of the law now —it would really look bad in her resume if as a rookie she flipped and decided to kill her ex-boyfriend's BFF, no? Maybe it was a good thing she'd let her gun on the car.

Breaking her out of her thoughts, Veronica then heard Logan's voice saying something. She didn't catch it though but instead just saw as Dick pushed her in the direction of the living room.

Could the earth please open up right now and swallow her all at once? Crap!

Coming here had been definitely a mistake —Logan probably even had a girlfriend.

Well, then again if he did, then she was world's crappiest girlfriend Veronica thought. She hadn't even been at the hospital when he'd almost died…

But…maybe she had been and Veronica had just chosen to ignore it unconsciously?

Well, all that thinking went to hell right then when both Veronica and Dick walked into the living room and Veronica saw Logan at last. She narrowed her eyes immediately at the sight of him —turned out he was _in fact _with a girl —not really the kind of girl Veronica was expecting though. What the hell? "So…are you like what? Babysitting now?" She asked him confused as she eyed Logan one more time as he awkwardly was holding that baby with his good arm while the injured one hung on his side.

Logan looked oddly at Veronica for a moment before he understood what she was talking about. He looked down at the baby he was holding before quickly looking back up at Veronica. "Babysitting? Me? No," He stumbled a little over his words, but still answered her question.

Logan looked at her cautiously as Veronica made _that _face —not one of her good faces to be honest, but the face that meant she was drawing her own conclusions out of what she thought was happening in that room –that was _bad_.

"Veronica," Logan tried to speak before Veronica could, but she shushed him quickly waving a hand in front of her face.

"Holy Shit Logan, what are you going to say, that you just _forgot _to mention you have a freaking kid now?" Veronica spat angrily before feeling bad for cussing in front of a kid.

Crap again!

Logan on the other hand took a moment's pause before even trying to explain himself. On the one hand, he was oh-so surprised at the tantrum Veronica was throwing —that kid wasn't his by any means, but…Veronica thought differently and it was driving her crazy. Did she still care about him that way then?

On the other hand however, Logan was a tad scared at how angry she seemed —what if she stormed out before he could explain. Man…

"Veronica, what are you talking about?"

Veronica felt almost sick seeing him and hearing him for some stupid reason. She shook her head at him before turning on her heels and trying to walk back out of the room.

Dick in any case stepped right in front of her still wearing his stupid grin keeping her from going anywhere.

"Move," Veronica told him sternly but before Dick could do as she told him or even say anything, Logan beat him to it.

"This baby is…so not my own…"

Veronica's eyes narrowed yet again as she slowly turned around and looked guardedly at Logan. "Then whose baby is it? You said you are not babysitting, but all her baby shit is here —fuck, I need to stop cursing!" She said exasperated more so to herself before covering her face with her hands for a small moment.

When Veronica opened her eyes again and uncovered her face, she was met with Logan's eyes staring back at her.

"All her baby s-h-i-t is here in my living room," Logan started explaining and was careful enough to spell out the curse word for Veronica. She rolled her eyes at him but she was still listening. "Because Baby Em lives here—"

"—Sometimes," Dick chimed in making a point Logan nodded to.

"Well, yeah, she lives here _sometimes_…" Logan agreed with him before looking back at Veronica. "She's not the best roomie ever but…she'll grow into you…"

Logan thought he was so funny —well, sucked to be him because he so wasn't. "You still haven't answered my question? Whose baby is that?"

"Didn't you tell me Ronnie here was a detective of some sort back in LA, Logan?" Dick said stepping forward to stand by Logan. "She's proving not to be very good," He smirked at Veronica while she could only glare at him in return.

"Veronica," Logan said her name alone in a loud whisper before motioning her with his eyes towards Dick.

Veronica in any case stared at him incredulously and started shaking her head almost immediately as Logan did that. No…No way in hell. Then again, that baby had darn white skin, blue eyes and was as blonde as could be —certainly she fitted more as Dick's child than Logan's any day…

Shit.

"Hold the phone…Dick's?" Veronica uttered, looking back and forth frantically between both grown men and the baby girl. Holy cow…

At her question, Dick and Logan simply looked at each other and nodded their heads at her after a moment.

Veronica's eyes went wide as dinner plates as she struggled to process the new info —it sure relieved her to know the baby wasn't Logan's for some reason, but seriously, Dick —Dick a dad…_a dad?_

"Well, I'll be dammed…" Veronica breathed quietly enough so that neither boy heard her. She lifted her eyes and met Logan's after a beat. "Is that even legal?"

Logan couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips at her words. He shrugged again. "Guess so…" He told her quietly, before Dick went on and let out a chuckle.

"Well, you kids are adorable, but Papa Dick has to go now…" Dick said suddenly then as he took from the near couch his jacket, and hung it over his shoulder. He walked back to Logan and crouched down slightly so that his eyes were aligned to those matching of the little baby. "If you wanna poop or pee on Ronnie here, you go Em…Bye…" He whispered to her before standing up straight and looking at Logan. For some reason Logan's eyes were now almost as wide as Veronica's. "What?"

"Are you going to leave?" Logan asked clearly taken aback.

Dick in any case just nodded. "Yeah, you knew that…" He argued back rolling his eyes.

Logan frowned. "Yeah, but you said you'd call a sitter for…her," He said through gritted teeth motioning to the little one.

Dick let out a hopeless breath. "You are cheaper —besides, you'll manage Lo…" He said easily before turning to Veronica who was still very much stunned by all these turn of events.

"See ya, V…have fun…" He told her patting her head before just like that stepping out of the living room, leaving Logan and Veronica by themselves with the mini-Dick.

Veronica let out a breath looking down at her feet before noticing Logan shifting his weight on his two feet. When she looked back up, he was still awkwardly holding onto the baby. "You need help there stud?" She asked him without thinking first on the words coming out of her mouth.

Logan didn't flinch at her choice of words though —it had been a slip up and he knew deep down she really didn't mean to say that. "You freaked out Veronica —why did you freak out?" He asked her without caring to pretend the last ten minutes hadn't happen as Veronica desperately wanted him to.

"I…Logan, um…I…I don't know," She admitted painfully shifting her eyes from Logan's down to the baby —for the first time then Veronica actually let herself look at her properly. "Well, she does look like him…" Veronica noted managing a small smile in the baby's direction.

Logan weighed his options before deciding to let this whole freaking out thing go for now… "You should meet her mother, it's kind of sad…Kristy is super tall, brunette, deep green eyes, straight hair…and just look at Em…curly blonde hair, blue eyes…the spitting image on her alleged father and not a bit from the woman who carried her. The irony isn't lost on me…"

Veronica looked at Logan a little uneasy as he heard him speak —heck, in what world did they live now that Dick Casablancas was even an actual father now? Holy cow…

"How did it happen?" Veronica asked quietly and mindlessly, her hand reaching up to touch the baby's. She smiled when the baby grasped her hand and tried to take it to her mouth.

When she looked back at Logan, he was raising his eyebrows and looking at her as though she was retarded.

It wasn't until then that Veronica thought about the question she'd asked. "Fuck you Logan! I _know how _it happened! That's so not what I meant!" She said with a smile but when realization hit her, she slapped herself on the forehead. "I keep cursing today —what's wrong with me, I'm sorry," She apologized even though it wasn't needed.

Logan was smiling down at her before he simply shook his head at her. "I don't care —According to Dick babies don't really remember anything before the age of three, so until then we are free to talk freely in front of her…"

Veronica was slightly impressed he knew that —now it was her turn to quirk an eyebrow at him. Logan shook his head slightly embarrassed as he looked down at Em.

"Honestly Veronica," Logan started talking softly then again choosing to address her question now. "Em simply happened —with the kind of life Dick's has lead, I wasn't surprised when one of his one night stands appeared on my front door with a tiny baby in her arms…"

Veronica nodded her head at that —he had a point. "That's true," She said making Logan smile. Veronica however, squinted her eyes thoughtfully looking at him.

"What?"

"What's her name? You and Dick both keep calling her M?"

"Oh," Logan let out at the question. He readjusted the baby in his arm before shrugging at Veronica. "It's actually Emily —I don't think she knows it though…" Logan said thoughtfully looking down at the baby. "Dick always calls her Em, or…bugger…I'm pretty sure she'll turn her head faster if you call her bugger than if you call her Emily, right bugga?" Logan asked looking down at the baby who at his pet name for her, looked up and just about grinned reaching out to grab Logan's face.

Veronica couldn't help biting her lip at that picture before her —with that baby in his arms Logan looked almost okay, but…whom was she kidding, Veronica knew very well, that wasn't the reality. She let out a breath then before something interrupted her conversation with Logan.

The two of them shared a look when the phone rang and rang a few times. There was no way Logan could pick up his phone while holding a baby in one hand, and having the other covered with a cast, so…the hell with it, Veronica knew what she had —maybe even wanted? — to do. "I'll hold her," She smiled up at Logan as she reached for the baby.

Emily didn't cry but still looked surprised when this stranger lady held her in her arms. Veronica held onto the baby awkwardly for a moment as she studied the baby's face. "Damn girl, you look just like your father," Veronica said again, unable to ignore the resemblance. "I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not, but it's the truth little one…"

And right then, for one reason or another, Baby Em, chuckled at Veronica's words, and that toothless grin just about melted Veronica. It was decided, she liked this baby…

Veronica smiled at her scrunching her face and sticking out her tongue playfully. "You are just about the only person in the world who still thinks I'm funny kiddo…" She told Em sweetly before for no reason whatsoever, Veronica leaned in and kissed her teeny nose. "Don't go telling on me though Em…I do not want your sperm-donor knowing I'm developing a soft spot for his spawn…" Veronica said not thinking her words. She narrowed her eyes when she gave it some thought. "Okay, maybe I was too literal…how about we play?" Veronica offered looking at baby Emily as if she was going to actually respond.

In any case, only a moment later, Veronica decided to set down on the floor with the baby by all of her toys. That living room surely was a mess, but then again, as Logan said, a baby did live in that house, so it was only natural she assumed…

Veronica let out a sigh looking at Emily trying to crawl to one of her toys. "Here you go little one…" She told her sweetly as she tried to hear for Logan.

Veronica could barely hear his voice as he spoke on the phone —she wondered whom he was talking to.

That was so wrong though —that was none of her business.

Shaking her head Veronica laid on her stomach by the baby and started eyeing her and her toys. "So how is it living here with the boys, huh Em? Do they behave for you?" Veronica reached out tickling the baby's belly slightly making her giggle again. She then looked at both sides and after checking Logan wasn't coming, she looked back at Emily. "You are actually kind of really cute," She told her in a soft voice. Baby Emily smiled at Veronica proving with that sweet smile to Veronica that she was definitely cute, and despite Veronica actually not being all that fond of babies and children all together, she kind of liked this one.

She narrowed her eyes at that thought —from all kids in the world who knew she'd ended up liking Dick's Casablancas baby girl… "Oh well…" Veronica breathed aloud flipping onto her back. She looked at the ceiling and closed her eyes for a few seconds hearing the small sounds the baby made as she played with a squeaky toy.

Veronica breathed out a few times before blinking her eyes open again —startling her however, she was met then with Logan's face staring down at her on the floor. "Logan!" She cried out of instinct before quickly sitting back up on the floor.

He looked at her innocently making her roll her eyes. "What?"

Veronica frowned and pouted at him. "I didn't hear you come back…" She told him childishly before letting out a sigh and shaking her head. "How was your call?"

Logan shrugged his shoulders at that —and well, to be fair Veronica hadn't been expecting him to tell her, but she'd thought she'd give it a try anyway. "Was the kid good?" Logan asked as he too took a seat on the floor by Veronica and baby Emily.

Before Veronica had the chance to answer, Emily turned on her bottoms and awkwardly crawled her way to Logan's lap. He smiled down at her, but still rolled his eyes before holding her up and sitting her on his lap properly.

"She likes you…" Veronica noted not realizing she'd said the words aloud until Logan shifted his eyes to her and he smiled and shrugged again.

"Hey, don't sound surprised…I've _always_ been good with the ladies," He said with a devilish smirk seconds before his expression changed and he turned serious. "Well, with _most_ ladies," He added looking at Veronica knowingly.

Veronica twisted her lips slightly before shrugging at him. All in all, he looked well now —with that baby on his lap and the sweet way he was stroking Emily's little back probably without even realizing he was doing it…

Seeing him right now as opposed of all the ways she'd seen him since coming back to Neptune, gave Veronica some sort of hope that perhaps, just maybe Logan could still be okay…

After all, he still had to be _Logan_ —underneath all that pain, and brooding front, Logan must be still there and for his sake Veronica hoped he could manage to bring _that _Logan back —the one that wasn't only like this for a while, but always…

"Where did your head go just now Veronica?" Logan asked her then breaking Veronica from her thoughts.

She smiled at him and shook her head. "Do you do this often?" Veronica asked Logan instead of replying his question. He looked lost at her question though. His clueless face made her smile slightly. "I mean, babysit for Dick?"

Logan's eyes immediately widened and he shook his head. "Never," He told Veronica honestly. "I'm actually not even allowed with Em by myself —ever," Logan elaborated nodding his head as in for emphasis.

Veronica in any case looked at him as if she didn't believe him.

"Oh, I'm serious," Logan said then knowing what she was thinking. "Dick thinks, and I agree, that I'm no good influence on the baby…I…I don't know what got into him today leaving me with her…he probably trusts me to behave today that you are here…" He concluded mostly to himself but still saying the words aloud. "I do not expect it to happen again," He added simply then.

Veronica rolled her eyes at him. "Oh come on, you can't not be that bad…" She told him then even though deep down she feared Logan had gotten so deep into whatever mess, that even Dick had decided Logan's darkness to be too much for that cute baby of his.

She was determined to keep it light today though. "I'm not even good with babies myself —not really the babysitter type here," She said, pointing at herself with both her thumbs.

For one reason or another, Emily found that super funny, and she burst into chuckles reaching out for Veronica now. Clearly, she was wrong.

Crap.

"I think she begs to differ," Logan said with a small smile handing baby Em over to Veronica. As she grabbed the baby and placed her on her lap, Logan spoke again. "Besides, you were indeed the babysitter type once upon a time,"

Veronica raised an eyebrow at him. "When?"

Logan shrugged. "Before the whole PI Veronica thing happened," He pointed out knowingly. "When we were kids, I remember Lilly going on and on about how not-fun you were when instead of going out on Fridays you babysat your neighbors babies…"

Veronica stayed quiet as Logan said that —it mildly impressed her he remembered. That had been forever ago, plus Veronica had only done it for a couple of months at best —turned out Lilly had been just as persuasive at 13 than at 16. Veronica had in the end given in to peer-pressure, and while right now she could say with absolute certainty she had no idea how to properly change a diaper, she still wouldn't have trade those weekends with Lilly for the world.

"I've forgotten about that," Veronica said back to Logan at last.

He shrugged his shoulders sporting a silly smirk on his face. After a beat, he let out a breath and shook his head.

"What is it?"

"Thinking about that…Lilly, the Donut…it…it just feels like another lifetime…"

Logan's words echoed in the room for a few moments as both he and Veronica stared at each other in silence.

She spoke first after letting out a breath as well. "I think it was," Veronica pointed out simply before her eyes traveled down to the baby. "Dick Casablancas has a baby now for heaven's sake," She added, and while she tried, Veronica couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her mouth after she spoke.

Logan matched it because even though he'd known baby Emily for a few months already, the idea of Dick having a daughter was still a bit hard to swallow. "He's actually disciplined himself down a little since Em happened…" Logan said then just because as Dick's friend, it was his obligation to at least give him credit for that.

Veronica shook her head at his words anyway. "Don't believe it," She said playfully, yet rather stubbornly. She held the baby up after a beat and turned her around so that she was facing Emily. "Your father is by far the least disciplined person I've ever known –so don't judge me for not believing here Logan when he says such crazy things to my face,"

And of course, yet again as Veronica spoke to her, Emily laughed. Man, this kid was actually kind of really cool. "I like her," Veronica promised with a silly smile shifting her eyes from Emily for a moment and instead looking at Logan.

He was smiling when their eyes met, and while the moment dragged on for a little while, as soon as Veronica noticed it, she shook her head and looked back to Emily.

Logan noticed the whole thing but still didn't say anything. To say he could taste the tension between them in his mouth would surely be the understatement of the year.

"How old is she anyway?" Veronica asked keeping her eyes on the baby.

Logan shook his head at her and rolled his eyes —that was seriously some lame attempt to keep the conversation about the baby and not them. He let out a breath before shrugging. "Who knows," He replied flippantly, earning a glare from Veronica. "I mean it though…I don't know…" He said a little uneasily, as he tried to think when that kid's birthday was anyway. "I think she was born around Thanksgiving, so how old that makes her?"

Veronica raised an eyebrow at him playfully. "I guess math is still not your thing, huh?" Guiltily, Logan shook his head. "That'll make her around seven months old or so…seems about right, she's crawling already and all…" Veronica said thoughtfully turning the baby around so that she was looking at Logan.

Proving Veronica's point, as soon as Em saw Logan she wiggled her way off Veronica's lap and crawled her way back to Logan. "She's like a little puppy," She added without thinking, yet with a real smile on her face.

Logan chuckled but still shot at her a disapproving look. "I think she'd rather be called a little unicorn baby than a dog Veronica," He told her as serious as he could even though inwardly he wanted to laugh oh-so bad. He grabbed Em and pulled her up on his lap making a silly face to her before looking back in Veronica's direction. "I kinda like her too," Logan promised then in a small voice, shyly looking at Veronica's eyes.

She couldn't help the smile on her face as they shared that look, but then in that moment her mind wandered and something else popped into her mind.

Logan saw the way her face changed, and he narrowed his eyes. "What is it?" He asked her simply knowing there was a fifty-fifty chance that she'd answer.

In the end however, Veronica surprised him slightly when she fixed her eyes strongly into his for a good moment and then spoke. "Back at the hospital you told me something,"

Logan narrowed his eyes in deep thinking. "Back at the hospital when?"

Veronica groaned lightly. "You think you are funny making this harder on me, right?"

Logan simply shrugged flashing at Veronica his best smirk.

She puffed faking feeling annoyed. "Back at the hospital —four days ago when you and I first saw each other after years and years of silence. Rings a bell Logan?"

He chuckled nodding his head. "What was that that I told you then V?"

Veronica let out a breath at that —she wasn't even sure why she wanted to let Logan in on this, but…she wanted to. "Remember when you saw my ring?"

"The same one you conveniently forgot to wear today in hopes to avoid awkwardness but darn it, failed miserably?"

Veronica bit strongly on her lip before rolling her eyes —he was trouble. Logan freaking Echolls was big big trouble. "My point is, you told me something, you remember what was it?"

At that question Logan finally looked serious and stared at her thoughtfully for a moment. He then simply shook his head. Truth was he remembered a lot about that day —exactly how she looked, and how she smelled, but…his words exactly, Logan didn't remember those rather well right now.

Veronica in any case did remember just about every word he'd told her that day. "You said that by now you thought I'd be already married and wi—"

"And with a bunch of Josh's babies…I remember now…"

Veronica nodded her head at that. "And I told you I still wasn't married, and then…truth is, that…"

"What?" Logan asked her softly when her voice trail off. "Did meeting Emily and seeing how cute she is, is making you change your mind about making tiny human beings?" Baby Em was slowly falling asleep in his arms, so even though smirking with his words, Logan tried to keep his voice quiet for the baby.

Veronica however just about snorted at that. No –no way in hell she was thinking about Josh's babies right now. Nope. Not at all. "That's not what I was going to say,"

Logan made a face but still kept quiet as she continued speaking.

"When you told me that, I just…It made me realize that even when I'm marrying him, I've never…never actually thought about, you know, us…making a family together…that's kind of messed up, huh?"

In all honesty, Logan had no idea how to answer that. Why was Veronica even telling him all this anyway? There was no way he was answering that seriously, so a joke was the way to go for sure.

"Not really. Bet lots of women will be a little apprehensive about procreating with a guy as unbelievable tall as your so-called fiancé is —can you imagine how big one of his babies may be?"

Veronica burst into laughter at his words but still sobered up when baby Em stirred in Logan's arms and let out a little cry before settling down again.

"I'm sorry," She mouthed at him.

Logan simply shook his head and smiled —honestly he was just glad he'd answered her question without it getting too serious and awkward.

He still wanted to ask her something — "So let me ask you something then Veronica…you've really never thought about making mini yous…ever?"

Veronica's eyes went slightly wide at the question. Truth was, she'd thought about it…once. A long time ago…and it weren't exactly mini hers she'd pictured. Nope. More like mini-Logans to be honest, but she couldn't tell him that right now, could she?

"Once I did," Veronica blurted out then before her mind could overthink any of this anymore.

"My curiosity is officially piqued then. Do tell Ronnie…"

She chuckled quietly, but still took a deep breath as she prepared herself to speak. "It was like…forever ago…" Veronica said sighing. "Way way back, like…during those first few weeks of college…"

"Oh…" Logan let out thoughtfully after those words were out. He was well aware Veronica had been decent enough to let him know slowly this story included him. Oh well…He still curious. Even more so now.

"It was during that week Dick moved in with you at the Grand?" Logan thought about it for a moment before nodding at Veronica –he remembered.

"We've spent that whole day with Dick, and…it was pretty late but you guys were still playing video games and I was tuckered out so I went to bed before you did—"

"Your Dad was out somewhere in Arizona,"

One more time Veronica nodded at him –that'd been the time. "Yeah, but I…I dunno, I was in bed, suddenly with no sleep again, and…it was then when it hit me, you and Dick were pretty much like brothers. Everybody else in your lives had left somehow, so…that night I realized that in spite of however I felt about Dick, you guys were kinda like family to one another…" Veronica explained, shrugging and smiling sadly in Logan's direction. It was actually very sad to be honest.

"That's true," Logan told her back simply —Dick was indeed one of the very constants in his life. Maybe that was a little pathetic? It wouldn't make it less true, though. Dick was sort of like his brother, Veronica was right, but still… "I still don't get how that story has anything to do with you thinking about having little humans?"

Veronica couldn't help but chuckle softly at that. "Your relationship with him, it…it made me think…"

"What exactly?"

Veronica scrunched up her nose and stayed quiet for a moment or two just looking at him —this so wasn't easy to say. "Well, you know, I started thinking that if you and I ever…y'know…"

"Procreated?" Logan filled in for her with a smirk almost as big as his face.

Veronica groaned in annoyance, rolled her eyes, covered her face with her hands…and yet, the minute her eyes met again with Logan's, she was grinning so big she could almost feel her face hurting. "Yes, that…" She told him back playfully though still smiling big.

Logan kept the smirk firmly on his face as he nodded in her direction indicating her to keep going.

And sure enough, after just another small moment, Veronica started speaking again. "I just thought it would be just plain wrong for that screamy little toddler of ours to be shouting at the top of his lungs for 'Uncle Dick' in the middle of my Dad's backyard on a Fourth of July barbeque or something. That honestly did not sit right with me," Veronica told him as serious as she could, but the small laugh that escaped Logan's mouth was enough to make her chuckle as well.

After a beat, Logan nodded his head at her in agreement, and so Veronica continued speaking. "So after that, with that colorful scene in my head, I thought for the sake of humanity we simply _had _to come up with a better name for a child to call Dick." They shared a look and while Veronica shifted her eyes quickly from Logan's, she managed to look at him long enough to see him smiling. "I…I thought maybe we'd make the kid call him—"

"Uncle D…"

It took Veronica one good minute to register Logan's voice before she acknowledged to herself what those two little words meant —he'd thought about it too… "Yeah." She told him back at last with a nod. "I thought we'd keep it short and sweet until the kid was old enough to say any profanities –Uncle D," She said the pet name making Logan smile.

There was silence after that, and while Veronica let out a breath and was looking down at her fidgeting hands, Logan didn't think discovering this had been that bad. "Turns out at one point in time we were actually on the same page without the other knowing, huh? Eh…well, we were always awful communicators, no?"

He was trying to be funny and light up the mood, but instead of doing just that, it did the opposite for Veronica. It made her remember the last two years and how different things might be if…well, if they'd been better communicators like he said.

Veronica in the end however, just rolled her eyes at Logan and did to get up from the floor.

Logan was clearly confused at her sudden seriousness, but still, even with the sleeping baby in his arms, he got up from the floor as well and caught up with her. "What did I say?"

Veronica turned to him with her mouth ajar —she wanted to tell him so many things but somehow the freaking words wouldn't come out.

"Veronica, what did I say?"

As the question was asked again, Veronica finally found the words she was looking for. "Two and a half years ago, what the hell happened?"

As soon as she said those words however, Logan's head dropped and he shook it slightly.

That for some reason made Veronica angry. "I was going to come back, I…I was willing to drop everything…and you…I…I told you I _loved_ you, Logan…" Her voice cracked and that alone just about broke Logan's heart.

Veronica squeezed her eyes strongly when he didn't speak but instead continued to look down at his feet. She shook her head then and almost did to turn around.

Logan was quick then to stop her with a hand to her elbow. "We are not going to have this conversation right now, Veronica,"

"Oh then when? Never?" She spat at him angrily before remembering the little baby in his arms. Veronica took a deep breath then and glanced down at Em. "Shouldn't you put her down or something?"

Logan quietly stared at Veronica for at least a couple of minutes before simply nodding his head. He looked at Veronica for just a little bit longer before letting out a breath and walking past her and out of the room slowly. All the while as Logan carried the baby up the stairs and put her down, he kept picturing Veronica angrily leaving this house. He tried to tell himself that she had every right and that it was okay if he never saw her again —he deserved as much anyway.

Needlessly to say Logan was nothing short of shocked when he came back downstairs to find Veronica standing right on the same spot she'd been before he left the room. "You are still here?"

Veronica turned around to meet his eyes. "A physiologist at the FBI once told me running when things got tough was sorta like my defense mechanism…" Never mind Logan himself had pretty much told her the same too once upon a time… "It's become my life's mission to prove her wrong ever since she said that…"

Well, regardless of why she was still here, Logan was oh-so glad about it —at least of that he was sure. "Well…I'm glad you didn't leave," Even if he still wasn't ready to let her know everything that had gone down two and half years ago…

Veronica let out a breath and shrugged her shoulders. "You never did tell me exactly about Em —I was curious, what can you do…"

Veronica's voice surprised him slightly, but still Logan tried hard not to let it show. He instead simply looked back at her narrowing his eyes —was she honestly serious about this?

"Do tell me; tell me _that_ story at least…"

Logan sighed but still nodded at her. "You sure?" He asked her and while seemingly it was just a question about Dick, and Veronica being sure about wanting to hear his story, behind those two words there were a million more.

Are you sure we can be in the same room, be civil and avoid everything we really want to talk about?

"Yeah I'm sure Logan…I am…"

Well, the hell with everything. Something inside Veronica simply couldn't let her lose Logan again from her life just like this —she just couldn't. Not again...

At least not until she learned the whole truth…


	8. You&Me - Chapter Eight

**Author's Note : **I'm sorry it took me a bit to get this chapter out, it's quite a monster chapter, so I hope that makes up for the wait! _Italics_ are the flashback and the rest is present time. I know you are anxious to know what happened between LoVe, I promise you will soon. In the meantime, I hope you continue to enjoy the back-story and the present time dynamic. Thank you so much for reading!

{{Also, _Happy Easter_ y'all! Hope you guys have a good one & eat all the chocolate you want!}}

**You&Me - Chapter Eight**

* * *

_New Year's Eve…honestly, just another excuse to have a big bash at the beach in Neptune. It had actually been some few solid years since Veronica had been invited, let alone actually came to a party thrown and attended mainly by 09'ers. But really, she wasn't here because of them. Nah, not at all. She was here simply because Logan insisted she came. She'd barely seen any of him tonight though…_

_With a solo cup in one hand, and the other resting on the hood of the car she was sitting, she could actually see him in the distance. He was chatting up with some guys, sipping from his drink every once in a while. Veronica bit on her nail looking around for a moment. She knew quite a lot of people at this party, yet she wasn't feeling it for some reason. She sighed looking down into her drink, before feeling someone moving close to her. Veronica looked up only to see a random dude eye-fucking her. "Get lost," She warned, before hoping off the car's hood, and walking in the direction of the refreshments._

_She didn't even look back at the guy anymore, but simply went to refill her drink. She smiled at the overly-happy frat boy helping her, and then turned around hoping to find a new spot to hang._

_Surprising her, however, by the time Veronica turned around, Logan was already making a beeline in her direction. Or was it in the direction of the keg? Either way, Veronica smiled at him as their eyes met. "You really are Mister popular tonight, aren't you? Who should I thank for a moment of your time Mr. Echolls?" Veronica quipped playfully._

_Logan smirked at her, yet didn't waste time answering that question. "Wanna get out of here…?" Why waste more time doing empty talk with random people when Veronica Mars from all girls was here, huh?_

_And apparently Veronica agreed, because as soon as his words were out, she found herself nodding in his direction. "Yeah, yes, I do…" The words weren't even completely out of her mouth, before Veronica could already feel Logan's fingers gingerly tangling with hers. _

_"Come on…" He whispered in her ear quietly as he guided the way away from the party._

_Veronica smiled at the protective arm Logan had around her waist as they made their way among the people in the party. She liked the feeling of being safe that his arm around her, caused her. Sometimes Veronica would let herself forget how caring and tender Logan usually was when they were together. Perhaps it simply was easier for her to just remember all the bad things he did, no? Missing him would surely be a lot harder if she let herself remember too often how amazing he could be with her, right? How openly and greatly he could love her, and how much he could care…_

_Veronica let out a breath as little by little the loud music became more and more quiet. Logan's place was less than a mile from where the party was, so that was where they were heading right now she supposed. The walk was quiet, but not awkward. It was December, yet thanks for the beauty of Southern California, they were walking down that beach with bare feet actually enjoying the light breeze. There was nothing like winter in the West Coast for sure…_

_"What are you thinking?"_

_Logan's voice broke her from her thoughts, yet Veronica didn't mind. She looked over at him, and then at their hands lightly touching at their sides. She shrugged at him. "About Cali…" She told him back simply. "I think if I ever do move away, I…I'll miss it…"_

_Logan took in her words and nodded. "Yeah…" He breathed as in the distance he could already make out his place. He knew what she was talking about though. "2500 miles…"_

_"What's that?"_

_Logan shrugged. "How many miles there are between California and Virginia…" He informed her knowingly. "I did my homework," His words come out playful, and though he tried, Logan couldn't help the smirk on his face. "It's roughly a seven hour plain ride from San Diego or LA…" He added as the two of then slowly stopped walking, and instead turned to look at one another._

_"It's probably not going to happen anyway," Veronica told him lightly, trying to sound playful even, yet Logan heard the edge of self-doubt in her voice._

_"When will you leave?" Logan asked her then, choosing to ignore her words. Of course there was a chance Veronica would get a rejection letter from the FBI instead of an entrance call into the Academy, but Logan in all honesty was pretty sure she'll get the latter and not the former._

_She was born to make great things, and she'd worked so hard to get in, it honestly just made sense she'll make it in._

_Besides, even when she was trying to play it cool so much, Logan knew she was excited out of her pants about getting in. Nearly anybody who applied to the FBI made it this far into the process, but Veronica had. She was just one call away to get into Quantico, so Logan thought the least he could do was be supportive and reassuring, no?_

_"Hm, in a few of weeks…three or so…"_

_"Oh," Logan let out unconsciously at that. He hadn't thought it'd be so soon. Veronica had been back in Neptune for only a little over a week and now it turned out she'd be leaving again so soon…Oh well…_

_"It's soon, I know." Her father had made the same face when they discussed the topic early in the week. Veronica had graduated a few months ago, but had stayed in Los Angeles after finishing her degree anyway. Right now, she was in a bit of a limbo waiting to decide what she would do from now on. If the FBI call came, then off to Quantico she'd go, but if it didn't…_

_Well, for now she was still working for her college professor consulting for Los Angeles Police Department on some cold cases. Shed had been given a lot of responsibility for someone who had just graduated, but she had been still enjoying the opportunity._

_"What about you? What happens with you now?"_

_Logan looked down at Veronica's eyes and thought for a moment or two. "Well, I will definitely not go the teacher route," Logan warned her for good measure —for some reason most people he told about his English Lit degree, asked him if he would teach. Logan's answer was always a no._

_Veronica rolled her eyes but also couldn't help but laugh as the two of them started walking again. "Then what?"_

_"I think I'll take the job Simon & Schuster offered…"_

_Veronica narrowed her eyes confused, but still couldn't help the smile on her face. "Simon & Schuster offered you a job?" Logan didn't answer with his words, but simply nodded. "Wow. That's amazing." She told him honestly, a huge grin on her face as she fought the urge to hug him._

_Feeling bashful all of a sudden, Logan smiled lightly, and nodded his head._

_"Are you going to New York, then?" Veronica asked him suddenly then, when realization hit her. _

_Logan however, shook his head. "They have offices in California, too, you know?"_

_Of course they did. Suddenly Veronica felt foolish for the small moment of panic she felt when she thought Logan would be moving so far away. Then again, wasn't exactly that what she would do if the FBI call came, and she got accepted in the academy?_

_She let out a shaky breath, before softly looking up into Logan's eyes again. She tilted her head and shrugged a shoulder. "I'm very happy for you." For once things were going well for him, he was…stable, and doing things for himself and no one else. Veronica hadn't said it in so many words, but she was in fact very much proud of Logan._

_He certainly wasn't anymore the same boy he'd be back in the day before she'd transferred from Hearts for sure._

_"Thank you," _

_Veronica smiled up at him, and nodded._

_They grew silent after that, walking down the cool beach slowly yet surely. Their hands hanging at their sides, only occasionally brushing together._

_It wasn't until they made it to Logan's place, that they began speaking again. Logan had gone into the house to get some beers and crackers while Veronica waited for him outside. He had launch chairs, yet Veronica had chosen to sit on the sad closer to the ocean. _

_When Logan met with her again, she smiled as he sat by her and handed her the cool bottle. Not really the worst way to start the New Year…_

_"Thank you for inviting me over…"_

_Logan made a face at her words, and shook his head. "Puff," He let out playfully, waving a hand in front of his face. "It was a no brainer Veronica. Start the new year with a bunch of drunk guys, or with you…"_

_Veronica smiled goofily at him, before taking a sip of her beer. "Well I'm glad you did…" She sighed, keeping her eyes steady looking out at the water._

_Logan's eyes were strongly focused on the side of her face, and while Veronica wouldn't admit it to herself, it was making her nervous and shaky inside for some reason._

_"How's…Josh?"_

_And of course he had to ruin the moment asking that! Veronica rolled her eyes instinctively at that question. Come on! She didn't want to talk about him. She wanted to pretend she wasn't imagining this evening, and what she was almost positive the two of them were thinking before he brought up Josh._

_Then again, maybe telling Logan what she was about to, would be a good thing. _

_Veronica shifted her eyes from the water, and turned it to meet Logan's eyes. She tilted her head in his direction before speaking. "I broke things off with him," She told him simply with a shrug._

_Logan looked genuinely surprised though. "Why?"_

_Veronica gave a chuckle at that question. "I'm moving from LA. The whole long distance relationship didn't appeal me, really…" Veronica told him, looking strongly into his eyes, yet all those words that came out of her mouth weren't exactly the main reason she'd broke up with him._

_Neither said a word then, staring into one another's eyes. Veronica hoping against everything for Logan to be on the same page she was. She thought he was, but she wasn't sure. They've been back in each other's lives for over a year now, and things were great between them. At least she thought so. They were friends, but…in the back of her mind, for some reason Veronica always knew eventually they would get back together and this time it would stick. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but upon seeing just how different things between them were this time around, how much Logan had grown, how much she thought she'd grown, Veronica simply thought eventually they would simply be them again. Not just them as friends, but them as something more._

_Perhaps she was just being stupid and had read too much into the last few months, and most recently, into tonight's invitation to this party, but for some reason Veronica wanted desperately to believe she hadn't imagined all those stolen glances and goofy smiles they would share whenever they caught the other staring when they shouldn't…_

_She broke things off with Josh, because instead of wishing to get home to her loving boyfriend after a hard day at work, Veronica found herself wishing to get home so that she could call Logan, or email him, or read his email more often than not. She cared about Josh –a lot–, but she also cared about Logan. A whole lot more. And as of lately her stupid mind hadn't stopped wondering if perhaps she had never really fallen out of love with Logan? _

_"When did you guys break up?" Logan's question was almost a whisper, and for one reason or the other, Veronica was finding amusing that look of surprise that wouldn't leave his face._

_"A few weeks ago," She answered simply, yet it was enough to have Logan's eyes widening all the more. She chuckled slightly._

_"You never mentioned that,"_

_Veronica shrugged. "It never came up," _

_Logan gave a little snort, shaking his head at that. "What does it mean?"_

_"For me and Josh, that we are finished, for you and me…I'm not sure…"_

_Logan wasn't sure what to make out from her words. Was she really saying what he thought she was saying? "Veronica," Logan called, because from all things, playing games with her wasn't exactly in his to-do list right now._

_She let out a breath, and softened her features; the pretence was futile… "There's this thing I have with you, that I…I just don't seem able to have with anybody else…"_

_Logan's eyes narrowed ever so slightly even though he kind of did understand what she was saying. He wanted to know more, though. "What's that?"_

_Veronica licked her dry lips and gave herself a small moment before she started explained. She'd been trying to make sense of just that for the last few weeks, and it had been hard…to say the least._

_She swallowed hard then. "I don't ever have to explain myself to you," Veronica told him softly, her fingers playing absently with the sand as she spoke. "You are one of the few people in the world who just knows me…knows exactly who I am —why I am the way I am…I don't have to pretend to be less fucked up when I'm around you, I can just be…well, me, and that's well…"_

_"Liberating, somehow?"_

_Veronica nodded at him. "Yeah." It was exactly that. "So what do you say?" _

_Logan's eyes were soft looking into hers as he thought about the right thing to tell her back. He wanted so badly to just dive back in into this thing he had with Veronica, but he knew he had to be smart about this if he wanted it to work in any way…_

_"I'd say that you are right," He told her with a tiny smile and a nod. "I do know you," He added, looking at her knowingly. "I'd tell you that I can relate to how you feel…" It was the same for him. Ever since he graduated high school it was the same with every girl he met, that look they got in their faces when they realized Logan was who he was, that he was his son's father. Even after all this time, that didn't seem to get old. Logan couldn't blame them though; he himself knew he would never get over either everything his father did._

_Logan then shook his head as if trying to shake all those thoughts of Aaron off his mind. Veronica was smiling slightly at him when he looked back at her. It was in that moment that he knew what he wanted to tell her next. "If we are being honest, then I guess you should also know that I am my happiest self when I'm with you, and that's…big…" Veronica couldn't help the grin that made it to her face at those words. Her eyes were sparkling when Logan shifted his head down to look at her again. "I'd say that if I was ever to do take a big risk for a girl, that have got to be you and nobody else…" He nodded his head at her as in for emphasis. "I swear."_

_Just as Veronica was sinking in his every word, she felt Logan's hands reaching up to cup her cheeks. His fingers were cold on her skin, but still tender at the same time. He squared her face to his and for a moment, their faces were frozen mere inches from each other's. There was one thing Logan needed her to answer him._

_"What do you want from me, Veronica?" He needed to know. He needed to know if she really wanted him –wanted to work things through with him, or was only here because suddenly she'd found herself single and bored in Neptune._

_ Logan knew he could barely think straight when she was around him, he was goo when it came to Veronica Mars, she was his undoing, so right now when he was still having almost-coherent-thoughts, he needed to ask her the tough questions. He needed to know if they were really on the same page before moving any forward with whatever this was._

_And then, breaking Logan from his whirlwind of thoughts, Veronica's soft voice carried to his ears._

_"I want you…" _

_Logan blinked, once, twice, a third time quickly trying to register those three little words properly. Was he dreaming? Did he hit his head and couldn't remember? For such a long time he'd been dreaming to hear Veronica say those very words to him, but it never happened. She was always too prideful or stubborn to admit that she wanted him, that she needed him, but here she was, and just like that, she had him wrapped into her spell one more time._

_She lifted her hand to his face, and cupped his cheek sweetly. Logan closed his eyes at her touch and she smiled. "I don't want anything from you, other than…you. I just…want you. I want you in my life…"_

_Veronica closed her eyes as well then when Logan leaned in and their foreheads met. He kissed her nose slightly and she smiled. She knew he wanted to kiss her, she wanted to kiss him too, but they were both stopping themselves from doing it for some reason._

_It was perhaps just fear. Stupid paralyzing fear to let themselves feel again something so strong for one single person. _

_"Logan…"_

_He opened his eyes at her words and was met with Veronica's sparkly blue eyes staring back at him. She spoke before he could. "Just say what you are thinking,"_

_Logan took a sharp intake of air giving himself a minute to put his thoughts in order. "The pattern." He spoke softly then. "What about the pattern, our pattern, Veronica…?"_

_Their faces were still incredibly close, and Veronica could feel his warm breath mixing with hers. She knew she needed to say something, but she wasn't sure what. She needed to show him that she'd changed, that she was willing to give him more this time…to love him fully and not like before…_

_"Do you still love me?"_

_At the question however, Logan dropped his hands from her face and let out an exasperated breath. How could she even doubt that?_

_"Logan—"_

_"Of course I do, Veronica, that's not the point," He told her strongly, yet not angry. He ran a hand through his hair taking a few deep breaths before shifting his eyes back to Veronica. "How can you ask me that?" He asked her, this time his voice carrying much softer than before._

_"Because I was hoping you'd ask me the same question back,"_

_"Oh…" Logan let out, suddenly feeling silly for misreading her intentions. He looked her way cautiously. "So…do you? Do you still love me?" He asked her, and while he didn't mean his voice to carry so soft and uncertain, Logan hadn't been able to help it —which honestly was as embarrassing as it came. His heart was racing in anticipation to her answer, and while logically Logan knew she wouldn't had asked him to ask her that if she wasn't going to go with a positive answer, hearing what she was about to say was making him terribly nervous._

_And then she spoke. "I do," Veronica said simply, watching as Logan let out that breath he'd been holding. "I do love you," Her lips trembled as she spoke for some reason, and her eyes watered. She wasn't good at this, she wasn't good at admitting how she felt, she hated showing and feeling so vulnerable in front of Logan, but she was trying._

_Logan wasn't thinking when a laugh escaped his mouth and he leaned in gently grabbing Veronica's face again. This time he didn't have to think twice before taking her lips into his. He felt her smile against his lips, and that made him smile. He was so incredibly happy —it surprised him even, but still…considering he never ever thought this was the way tonight was going to go, it was understandable, he thought._

_After a moment, Veronica pulled away from him, and rested her hands flat on his chest. His heart was beating so hard, she could feel it, and it made her smile up at him. She didn't say anything, but just locked eyes with him. She hoped Logan could see there everything she wasn't telling him; how sorry she was for all the time they've wasted, how much she did love him, and how much she hoped this time it was it for them…_

_Logan sighed and one more time rested his forehead against hers. "I love you too," He promised. "I really really do…"_

_Veronica let her lips curl upwards at that, before she reached up for his lips again. Her arms circled around his neck, and absently, she started playing with the hair at the nape of his neck, as they kissed one more time. Logan was smiling when they pulled away, but he still was ever so slightly shaking his head at her._

_"What?" Veronica asked him meekly, at the curious way he was staring at her._

_Logan kept the smile on his face, and shrugged. "Nothing," He said, but it was obviously something._

_It wasn't something bad though —or at least that was what Veronica thought and hoped. It couldn't be bad if he was smiling, right?_

_"I just…when I invited you over, I just…I wanted to see you, but in the back of my mind, I was actually half-expecting you'd show up with that Josh dude in tow, and now…"_

_Veronica tiled her head looking softly at him as Logan thought through his words for another small moment. She thought about helping him there for a moment, but decided against it. She wanted to hear what he had to say._

_"Now you are here, and I'm holding you, and…" His voice trailed off as he pulled Veronica into his arms and held her tight to his chest. His eyes drifted off to the ocean while Veronica closed hers and at least for now allowed herself to enjoy the moment._

_"Did you…you know?"_

_"What?" Veronica asked softly, as she slowly lifted herself from Logan, but still managed to stay close enough that his arms were still wrapped around her._

_"When you came back for the holidays, did you…?"_

_"Plan this?" Veronica helped him given how much Logan was struggling with his words, which alone was the strangest thing._

_In any case, at her words, he gave her a curt nod. "Yeah,"_

_Veronica twisted her lips looking away from him for a moment. After a beat, she shrugged. "No…I don't think so," She told him honestly; she'd hoped many things about the two of them and this trip, but she hadn't really planned anything._

_"I thought about you a lot lately though. I knew I missed you a lot. I knew I wanted to try again," She said stressing the 'I' in her sentence. "But I wasn't sure at all if you still felt for me that way," She gave him another shrug then. "I didn't know if you'd even want me back or…if you already had someone new, but after tonight…I don't know, I just decided I wanted to take the chance…" He was worth it. Logan in all honesty was by far the only boy Veronica was willing to put her heart out there without guaranties that it'd work out._

_Logan nodded slowly as if little by little he was processing every single word she was telling him. _

_Logan shook his head because even with Veronica wrapped in his arms, he still couldn't believe it. All these years he'd pushed the thought of Veronica being his again to the very back of his mind. He never actively tried to win her back because he was sure that was not what she wanted. He was sure after everything they have gone through, she would only want him as a friend, so that was what he'd tried so hard to be for her for the last year or so they've been speaking again._

_All this new information, Veronica actually seeking him out, telling him all the right things, was pretty close to that dream Logan never allow himself to admit he had…_

_He smiled at that, and leaned in, sweetly kissing Veronica's forehead. She was smiling at him when their eyes met again. Logan matched her smile, but just as he was about to kiss her again, this time on the lips, something crossed his mind and he froze._

_"What is it?" Veronica asked him, confused at the sudden way he frowned and looked at her._

_"What about everything you just said about not being interested in long distance relationships? You are moving to Virginia, Veronica, and me…well…I'll still be here in Cali…"_

_She rolled her eyes at him slightly, and shook her head. "Keep up dummy, I said, long distance relationships with Josh didn't appeal me…with you however, I wanna try." Veronica promised sincerely. She didn't know how hard it'd be, she didn't know how much they would struggle, or if it would be easy, but one thing she knew, and she wanted Logan to know it as well, this time she was actually willing to put in the work to make this relationship happen. _

_Logan exhaled after a beat, but Veronica wasn't sure if he was relieved or more troubled. His eyes darted out to the ocean for a moment making her anxious. "Then again, chances are I won't even have to move, if the FBI hasn't called by now, I most likely didn't get in," She spoke fast, and nervous, afraid for a minute Logan was the one not willing to do the long distance drama with her._

_In any case, her words did not match at all the line of thought Logan had going on in his head —not at all. He shook his head at her, and smirked. "Shut up, Veronica," He told her playfully. "Just…shut up…" Veronica snorted and slapped his arm, taking away the awkwardness and nervousness she'd felt just seconds before. _

_Logan looked pointedly at her then. "You are getting in the FBI…I know it…" He told her strongly. "And you and I…well…we'll work on this…we'll make it work, okay?"_

_"Kay…"_

_xxxx_

So in the end, the only thing powerful enough to keep Veronica from pushing Logan to talk, had been…food. People do still say that the way to a man's heart was through his stomach, no? And well, even if she was missing some of the male parts, Veronica knew at least one of the ways to her heart surely was her belly. Want to keep her quiet while happy at the same time, feed her. Logan knew this too well, and so that was exactly what he proposed. He even let Veronica have dessert _before _their actual meal, and that just about made up for the almost three years of silence between them, and the fact that he was _still, _not ready to talk…

Oh well…

Logan couldn't for the life of him keep the silly smile from his face as Veronica unconsciously stuck out her lip staring dreamily at the other end of the kitchen's island, where he stood. Talk about someone taking her dessert seriously —she looked as though she was about to cry with anticipation. "I'll make it worth your while, I promise…"

Veronica pouted goofily at him before letting out a long sigh and sitting up straight on the kitchen's stool. She shrugged at Logan. "You are one of the few people I know who takes it so seriously to make a simple sundae, is all…" She told him flippantly, while one more time her eyes darted to the ice-cream tubs just sitting there on the counter waiting for her to eat the heck out of them.

Logan however thought the ice-cream needed to sit out at least ten minutes before being served, but in all honesty, Veronica wasn't sure she was able of such a thing. Her mouth was already watering and Logan had in truth no intention to serve it until the damn ten minutes passed.

Again Veronica sighed and shifted her eyes up to Logan's —she didn't even have to say a word, Logan knew what she was about to say and it made him chuckle ever so quietly. "Sure Veronica, have another maraschino cherry while we wait. You've earned as much bobcat," He told her playfully, though the term of affection was a complete slip-up.

Veronica caught up on it, but still didn't say anything but simply sighed with exaggerated relief, before reaching out for the jar of cherries. "These are great," She told Logan after a beat, with a happy smile on her face. Despite everything she did feel somewhat at ease right now —and that alone, being at ease and not thinking about all the drama in her life, was as rare a thing as it came…

"That ice-cream better taste like the heavens Logan," She warned Logan after a moment, and while she was successful in keeping the straight face for a moment, the instant Logan raised a brow, and half-smiled in her direction, Veronica's face broke into a small smile as well. "So anyway, keep speaking, I need a distraction from dinner," She told Logan motioning in the direction of the ice-cream. "So baby's mama one day simply showed up at your doorsteps?"

After smiling at her –yet again–, Logan nodded his head. "Yeah, pretty much," He told her back simply as he retrieved the hot sauce from the stove. "It was right after New Year's, Dick wasn't home yet when she showed up, but with baby in tow and all, she waited for him until he came and they sorted the whole thing out…"

Veronica's eyes were slightly wide as she processed the information —and damn, that was hard. Even when she knew the baby was right upstairs sleeping as they spoke, it was still such a hard story to believe. "And Dick what, just accepted the whole thing?"

Logan made a face shrugging. "Nah, he freaked, but Kristy has the balls I promise you, she did not back off until Dick remembered the whole night and he agreed the baby being his was a possibility…"

Veronica could only imagine —and in a way it scared her a little, as much as she wanted to make herself believe otherwise, Logan wasn't that different from Dick in that sense —to a degree, but still. They both seek out comfort in empty sex with blurry faces when life got tough. Not the best coping mechanism, but it was still the way it was for those two. What if one day one of Logan's own floozies came to that very house with a kid in tow as well?

Veronica shook her head before giving that idea any further thought.

"After that there was a lot of red-tape for a while, Dick lawyered up, as did Kristy, but after the DNA results came through, all that went to hell, he had a kid now. I won't lie and say there weren't quite a few nights when he was completely shit-faced and still freaked out at the idea, but eventually he got over it. He even asked Kristy to change the kid's name,"

Veronica narrowed her eyes at that. "What do you mean?" She asked him while trying oh-so hard to keep her focus in their conversation. It was hard though, because at last Logan was starting to serve their sundaes. Veronica made an inward happy dance at that, as he started speaking again.

"Well, at first Kristy was stubborn in doing the whole mommy thing by herself, so when Em was born, the name Casablancas was nowhere to be seen in the baby's name naturally," Logan explained matter-of-factly as he served Veronica some extra generous scoops of her favorite ice-cream flavor. "Dick insisted in having that changed so they did and now Em's a Casablancas too…"

Veronica nodded her head absently as her eyes could not shift from her sundae. Logan had even gone the fancy way with chopped walnuts, and fruit, and even freaking fresh made whipped cream, and of course the amazingly smelling hot sauce looked incredible on top of her ice-cream. "She's a cute baby, I will tell you that," Veronica spoke then at last forcing herself to look away from her ice-cream and into Logan's eyes. He wasn't looking back at her, but still fixing the last details on the sundae. He was so focused and concentrated in making it just perfect, that it made Veronica smile in his direction. "But I still can not imagine how that must have been like. One day you are free as day and then the other you have a kid that depends on you…" Veronica couldn't help but shake her head at the thought alone. "Not my idea of fun,"

Logan shifted his eyes up for a moment to meet hers; he didn't say anything but just stared at her thoughtfully for a moment before simply shaking her head and grabbing both his and Veronica's bowl from the counter.

Veronica found that a bit odd, but still didn't push it. Instead, she smiled brightly as Logan walked her way and set before her the most perfect ice-cream sundae she'd seen…like ever. And yes, of course she was exaggerating, but given all the anticipation and waiting, she was sure she hadn't felt this excited about something in quite a long time.

"Ooh, now _this _is my idea of fun," Veronica gushed taking gladly her bowl of ice-cream, before dreamily looking up at Logan and smiling. "Thank you," She told him in a rather small voice before bringing her eyes back down quickly to her sundae.

If Logan had any doubts that Veronica was a little crazy in the head, all those doubts disappeared in that very instant for sure. He liked seeing her happy like this though —it made him happy. Veronica wasn't usually carefree per se, so it was nice to see her like this. "No need to thank me…eat up now…" Logan told her easily then, keeping the smile firm on his face as he took a seat by Veronica.

For at least two or three solid minutes then, she kept her eyes down and was completely focused on her ice-cream. When she first tasted it, Logan caught sight of her eyes closing in that dreamy way, as she savored every bit of that spoonful of ice-cream she'd put in her mouth.

When after a beat, Veronica lifted up her eyes from her dessert, and looked at Logan biting on her lip, he in all honesty, couldn't keep laughter at bay. "I take it you liked it?" He asked her shaking his head playfully. "Seriously Veronica, you look as if you are going to cry. When was the last time you had ice-cream?" His tone was so light and relaxed Logan could barely recognize himself —then again, perhaps that was just what happened when Veronica was near him.

Veronica twisted her lips before answering. Quickly she took another bite of her delicious ice-cream and then shrugged at Logan. "The point is not about when was the last time I had ice-cream; the point is about how long it's been since _you _made me a sundae…" Veronica told him easily, though mid-way her sentence, her voice started growing softer. She didn't really think what she was saying until it was too late, and all the words were out. She took a breath, before one more time offering Logan a shrug of her shoulders. "You are just pretty good at it…" She added coyly after a beat.

Logan didn't look ruffled though; he simply smiled softly at her before having a taste himself from his own bowl. Veronica's eyes were on him when he looked back up at her again. He shrugged. "You are right, I am pretty good," He quipped making her laugh as the two of them went back to work on their sundaes.

Soon after sundaes were finished, and even when they were both mildly full, neither complained when Logan offered to serve the main dish. If Veronica had comment about being too full already to eat the famous Jambalaya Logan promised her, then that would mean she wouldn't have had the excuse to stay, and she wanted it. She wanted the excuse; she wanted to stay, if only for a little while longer.

Besides, that Jambalaya didn't look too bad at all. "You didn't make that, did you?" Veronica asked him playfully as she walked her way around the kitchen counter to stand by Logan as he served the dish on fancy plates. Veronica leaned close to his shoulder so she could take a better look.

Logan tensed a little at the closeness, but still shifted his eyes to look into hers. He wasn't sure if it was the lighting on his kitchen, or the time of the day, or what, but Veronica's eyes looked especially blue right now —they were almost sparkling if Logan could say so himself. "You don't think I could do it?" He asked her back, daring her to tell him otherwise.

Veronica pulled from his shoulder and twisted her lips looking back and forth between Logan and the rice dish. She shook her head. "Nah," She replied ballsy. "Have you ever even been to New Orleans? You wouldn't know a Jambalaya from Gumbo to save your life, now would you?"

She was smiling, making him feel at ease, and Logan appreciated that more than he could ever tell her. In the end, however, she won and he sighed. "Fine, housekeeper made it. She actually makes it at least every couple of weeks…it's pretty good…" Logan admitted painfully at last, watching as Veronica beamed.

"I bet it is," She told him back simply as she started clearing the kitchen's island from their desserts bowls. She carefully grabbed everything and took it to the sink. Logan was gathering silverware when he noted Veronica rinsing the dishes and putting them neatly inside the dishwasher. He thought for a moment about telling her to stop, that she didn't need to do that, but…for some reason he liked the domesticity he felt in that moment with that girl in his kitchen, helping him set up dinner as if it was something she did every day.

Perhaps it was a bad idea, but Logan allowed himself to believe the fantasy then —if only for today.

And in a way, whether she knew it or not, Veronica herself was letting herself believe the very same fantasy Logan was.

After everything was in the dishwasher and she closed it, Veronica looked over as Logan walked with the plates and set them this time at the dinner table and not the kitchen's island. Fair enough she thought, as she went and grabbed the napkins and silverware he'd left on the counter and walked to the table as well.

"I did go once to New Orleans," Logan told Veronica in a thoughtful voice as she reached him.

She looked at him as though she was afraid to ask more. For some reason or another, she knew where this was heading —she could see it in his face. "When?"

"A couple of years ago," Logan answered, as he pushed a chair for Veronica.

She smirked at him surprised, but still accepted the offer and took a seat just before Logan did it too beside her.

"It was during Mardi Gras,"

At that last tidbit of information, Veronica couldn't help laughing as she placed the napkin on her lap. "Of course," She told him playfully. "Let me ask you this then, do you remember _anything_ about said trip to Nola?"

Logan rolled his eyes at her, but couldn't deny it, the girl was right. That trip had been such a blur —he'd gone with Dick and a bunch of other guys. Someone was getting married, and for some reason that someone chose his bachelor party to be in New Orleans so off they have gone. It had been…well, wild…

Honestly, Logan couldn't remember a whole lot from that trip. City was pretty humid when they arrived and everywhere they went people were on the balconies throwing beads at the tourists. That, and the first hurricane he drank, where the only few things he remembered. Not really the story he wanted to tell Veronica right now, but the truth nonetheless.

In his defense, he'd been in a pretty dark place back then…

"It was a beautiful city," Logan said pretending seriousness as his eyes were glued to Veronica's. "Also I do have the million beats I got on that trip somewhere, so do not dare mock my Mardi Gras experience, Mars…"

Veronica laughed yet also rolled her eyes. "Who do you think you are talking with Sir? I would never dare mock you —to your face," She added goofily.

The smile Logan gave, made her smile as well. Silence settled then as the two of them simply looked each other's way. Veronica knew deep inside they were both pretending to be lighter versions of themselves right now; she knew neither was making an effort to talk about each other's lives besides the basic stuff. Neither had mentioned any of the potential awkward topics even when both were very well aware the conversation needed to happen eventually.

After flipping out on Logan earlier Veronica had vowed to herself to give them both this night —all the ugly stuff would come up sooner rather than later, so maybe instead of overthinking the situation so much, she should just relax and enjoy?

Even as she was the one thinking that, she couldn't quite believe it. As if relaxing were that easy…right…

In any case, before Logan, or Veronica for that matter, could have the next word in, loud, very very loud wailing came from upstairs.

Logan groaned and Veronica buried her face on her hands. Was she a horrible person for forgetting completely there was a baby in the house?

Peeking through her fingers, Veronica looked over at Logan who looked just as unpleased as she felt. Baby could have at least let them finish eating dinner, no?

"I'll go get her," Logan said with a roll of his eyes as he made a mental note to remind Dick he was _not _babysitter material —not even with Veronica here. Actually, especially with Veronica here.

Veronica at last took her hands off her face and looked at Logan uneasily. "Want me to help?" She asked him but Logan shook his head.

"Nah. Please eat…I'll be right back…" Logan sighed as he looked at Veronica one more time before heading up the stairs.

Veronica stayed put and guiltily eyed at her plate. She'd only had one taste but it had been so very good. Maybe a better person would have gone upstairs with Logan anyway? He had after all only one good arm to use and he was going to get the baby, but…that jambalaya before her was just so yummy…

And so for a moment then Veronica managed to eat a few bites of her dinner. She couldn't hear a lot of what Logan was doing, but Baby Em did stop crying and so Veronica assumed everything was fine and Logan would be back soon and they would finish dinner and then that would be it.

Stupid stupid Veronica though. Of course only a minute later, Veronica could hear Logan calling her name from upstairs.

"Veronica! Could you please come here for a minute?"

Veronica made a face looking down at her plate, and even when she was positive Logan could not see her, another shout came before she was able to say anything in return.

"You can finish eating in a moment, I promise…"

That made her smile, but still Veronica was not happy as she made her way up the stairs of Logan's place. The up side though, she was going to get to see the second floor, and as a professional snooper that just about made up for the cold dinner she'll have to eat when she was finished with whatever Logan wanted.

At first glance, all Veronica could see where three bedrooms as she got to the top of the stairs. The one of her right seemed rather organized and empty which meant it probably was the guest bedroom. The other two bedrooms were further and she couldn't have a good look on them unless she walked in, and since she wasn't doing that, following Logan's voice was the next best thing as one more time he called. "Over here…"

And so Veronica then walked down the hallway and into the small room at the end. It wasn't at all like the nurseries she'd seen on TV or on the odd magazine she'd seen at the random waiting room, but it still was nice. It was just a yellow-ish room with a crib, a changing table and a handful of books, but it still was nice.

Immediately as Veronica walked in however, there was something that took her completely aback. "What the heck is that smell?" She scrunched her nose looking at Logan desperately for an answer.

He looked at her uneasy, yet couldn't help the smile on his face at the face Veronica was making. Logan however, did not answer but simply with his eyes motioned Veronica to the baby in the crib.

Veronica's eyes went wide when realization hit her. "Oh God, is her? It stinks!"

Logan nodded slowly. "I know." Just like Veronica, he could hardly believe such a tiny thing like Emily could produce such hideous smell. "We need to change her though…" He added sounding uneasy.

Veronica looked at him almost afraid of what she knew Logan was about to ask her. "Please don't say it." It was too late though, of course he would.

"Given I can't possibly change a diaper with one hand —even if I knew how— I think it's on you to clean the mess V. Mars…"

"Logan," Veronica pleaded, trying hard to keep herself from gagging at the smell.

Logan smirked, and then simply put his hand on her shoulders. "You can do it."

Veronica pouted and shook her head faking to whine. She was pleading at him with her eyes yet it didn't work. There was no way Logan could do it, so he was right, this was on her.

"What about my Jambalaya?" She whined making Logan chuckle.

That alone earned him a glare from Veronica, so he went serious quick enough then. "I'll promise I'll reheat it for you, and even pack some for you to take home, how about that?"

Veronica rolled her eyes and nodded feeling pathetic.

"I thought we liked each other Em, what did you do kid?" Veronica asked quietly as she walked to the crib and grabbed the baby from it.

Emily wasn't crying anymore, yet she didn't look like the happy baby Veronica had met earlier. Then again, how was she supposed to be happy when she had just pooped all her pants, huh?

Veronica took the deepest breath in the history of the world as she put the baby on the changing table and started undressing her. By then Logan had walked to her side, and was looking over her shoulder in the precise moment Veronica took the tiny purple pants from the baby.

They both gasped at the sight. "Oh crap!" Logan said, and veronica could barely nod her head. Crap was absolutely right. There was indeed crap everywhere on that baby's body…everywhere.

"Logan!" Veronica cried as she started coughing.

He looked at her sympathetic yet couldn't think in something to tell her. She didn't want to do this, and yet there she was trying not to throw up as she did this for him.

"I'll buy you all the ice-cream you can possibly want if we can clean this. I swear,"

Logan was actually serious as he spoke and that made Veronica laugh. "I swear to God this is just Dick's way to get back at me, isn't it?" Quickly Veronica turned to look at Logan only to see him fighting not to smile —his lips tightly pursed together.

"Oh yeah, sure, be my guest, laugh it off…it's not as if it's your hand the one getting poop on," Veronica said disgustedly yet with a tiny smile on her face as she pulled wipe after wipe struggling to get all that greenish poop off that little baby's legs and bottoms.

"I seriously did not think this was how I would be spending my day…" Veronica mumbled after a few minutes after she had managed to take most of the poop gff Emily. She sighed deeply before noting Logan looking through some drawers looking for new clothes for Emily, Veronica supposed.

"For what it's worth, I never did imagine I would ever see so much shit coming from my alleged cute goddaughter…" Logan's tone was light and casual as he handed Veronica a dress to put on the baby.

Something in his words caught her attention though. "You are her godfather?"

"Oh," Logan was taken aback a little, but still simply nodded. "She's not baptized or anything, I don't think, so not…officially, I guess. But unofficially yeah —at least Dick likes to claim I am. He probably tells that to everyone though…"

Of course he didn't and Veronica knew that —Logan was the closest to a brother did had nowadays, it really wasn't that surprising he'd picked Logan to be the kid's godfather. Then again, considering recent history and the kind of life Logan had been leading lately, not to mention that fact that Logan wasn't even allowed with Emily by himself, it was indeed a little weird.

In the end, Veronica didn't say anything but simply nodded as she put on the yellow dress on the baby. "There, she's clean, and clothed…my work is done," Veronica beamed as she held the baby up and stared at that innocent face of Emily. "You are lucky you are cute, I do not just go cleaning other people's asses, just cause…"

Em let out a little giggle that made Veronica smile, as she held the baby to her chest, and turned back to look at Logan. "What are you still doing here dude. I was promised a dinner, and I'm not leaving this place till I've been fed," She said ever so childish.

Logan shook his head at her, yet thanked whoever was listening for her. In the span of a few short hours, she had already managed to make him feel ten pounds lighter…

Minutes later they had been sitting at the table —all three of them, Em included, eating at last their dinner. Since Logan only had one hand to eat, Veronica kept the baby on her lap as she ate one handed much alike Logan. However, after a while, a noise came from the front of the house and it startled them both a little. Veronica put down her fork instinctively, and held with both hands onto the baby.

Logan noticed Veronica's body language, and that made him narrow his eyes, yet before he could say anything, the reason of the noise startling them, walked into the kitchen.

It was a woman, more to Veronica's surprise, and what a woman. She was oh-so tall. Perhaps even one whole foot taller than her. She had long beautiful straight hair, and even from the distance, Veronica could see her bring green eyes looking at her oddly.

"Well, hello…" The woman said right before Logan jumped from his seat and walked to her.

"Hey." He greeted her simply looking back and forth for a moment there between Veronica and the other woman. "Um…Kristy, this is Veronica," Logan introduced them then at last after noting both women had their eyes on each other but neither was saying anything. "Veronica this is…Kristy…Em's mom…"

"Oh…" Veronica let out when realization hit her. She looked down at the baby and then back up at this Kristy person. "Oh," Again a moment of realization hit. She got up from her seat fairly quickly and walked closer to Logan and Kristy. "I guess this is yours, then…" Veronica said with a silly smile as she carefully handed over the baby.

Emily looked clearly happy to be with her mom and while Veronica didn't know jack about this lady, it made her smile. "She is," Kristy replied at last after she'd given Em a kiss hello. "Nice to meet you…" She said politely, while Veronica smiled not really knowing what else to do,

"Likewise," She answered sounding just as polite as Kristy. "You have a beautiful baby," Veronica added, and at that, Kristy actually smiled and nodded her head.

She agreed.

Truth was, Kristy hadn't heard a whole lot about Veronica —she knew she was one of Logan's exes, yet that was as far as her knowledge went. Dick mentioned once it'd been an ugly breakup but that was about it.

"Did you talk to Dick?" Logan spoke then breaking the silence that had formed. "He was going to call a sitter but—"

"It's alright Lo…" Kristy told Logan turning to look at him solely. "She looks happy, smells well, and doesn't appear to have any bruises. That's good enough for me…" She said easily, letting her free hand land on Logan's arm as to put him at ease.

Veronica looked the exchange through narrowed eyes not wanting to accept just why seeing that bothered her so much.

After a couple more minutes, Kristy announced she had to better keep going, and so she and Veronica said their goodbyes. Logan however offered to walk them to her car, while Veronica stayed in the dining room looking at her almost empty plate.

Logan actually took quite a few minutes to come back, and when he did, he found Veronica eating a cherry by the kitchen counter. "Sorry about that," He told her sounding sorry even though he wasn't sure why. Kristy wanted to know about the accident, and so that was why Logan had taken a few minutes to come back.

He still didn't like the way Veronica was looking at him. "What?"

She shrugged her shoulders playing dumb. "Nothing." She said not sounding convincing at all. "She was nice," Veronica added after a beat, and while she tried her best, no one in their right mind would believe those words came from an honest place. "Did you leave the door unlocked?

Logan's head hung at that. He shrugged. "She has her own key," Veronica looked surprised. He sighed. "Her daughter lives here every other weekend –that kind of gives her the right to this place,"

"Actually it doesn't," Veronica let out without thinking before slapping both her hands to her mouth. She so did not mean to say that. "I'm sorry, I…I didn't…" She stumbled over her words and while she thought for a minute Logan may be mad at her for saying that, he on the other hand, smiled at her words.

"Don't sweat it. I know it's a weird arrangement, but…it kind of works out…" Logan explained simply as he went to grab his water glass and took a long sip.

Veronica took a deep breath and made herself calm down. "You were right, she is very pretty, but doesn't look like the kid at all…"

"I never said she was pretty, did I?"

Veronica rolled her eyes at him trying to look annoyed; she wasn't really. "What does she do for a living anyway?"

"Modeling…LA movie extra, ballerina…I dunno, Ronnie, something like that…" Logan said with a shrug. He honestly didn't know. "You know, some small town girl trying to make it in Cali…"

"Well, I guess then she landed jackpot with Dick Casablancas, no?" Veronica said in the name of a joke, yet Logan didn't laugh —he didn't even smile.

Instead he looked at Veronica oddly.

"What?" She asked him back quickly, curiously, tilting her head to the side.

Logan shook his head. "Nothing…" He didn't tell her what he was thinking. Truth was, it scared him what Veronica would think if he did. If Logan didn't know better he'd say Veronica was jealous, but he couldn't tell her that, no could he?

"Keep in mind at first she wanted to do this without any help from Dick, so in spite of everything I do not think she's that much into Dick's money…" Not that Veronica gave a damn about Dick's money situation, but still Logan thought he'd explained anyway.

At his words, Veronica simply nodded accepting his words. "You two seemed friendly," She commented just because, seeing front and center then as Logan flinched.

Veronica felt bad, but she still wanted to know.

Logan however shook his head in her direction almost immediately. "Don't go making scenarios on your head, k? She's just Em's mom, okay?"

He'd gotten defensive, Veronica couldn't ignore that, yet she made herself nod at Logan anyway.

"It's fine, Logan…" They weren't anything after all –Veronica knew she had no right to act jealous even though inwardly jealousy was almost killing her. "Look, um…thank you for everything—"

"You are going to go?" Logan cut her off asking his question as quickly as he could. Did Veronica get really mad about Kristy coming that now was just running off? What did he do to scare her off this time?

"Well, I kinda have to…" Veronica told him back uneasily, yet not lying.

"Why?"

Hmm, how could she explain it? "You are not the only one with babysitting duties, _Lo_…" Veronica told him, only half-playfully mocking that Kristy lady nickname for Logan.

He rolled his eyes annoyed, but still pushed on a bit more. "What do you mean?"

Veronica let out a breath. "It's a long story…a case…"

"Oh…" Logan replied thoughtfully, running a hand through his hair as he thought for a beat. It wasn't as he could make up an excuse to beat her work, huh? In the end, he let out a long breath and nodded at Veronica. Something clicked in his head after a moment though. "I thought you were suspended, though…"

"And I am, thank you for the reminder," Veronica answered sarcastically, before offering him a tiny smile and a shake of her head. "You heard about that orange county teacher—"

"I did, he kept a girl on his basement, something like that,"

Veronica nodded —yeah, something like that. "I was in that case. We got the girl, so that's good, but…"

"The guy's still on the loose," Logan finished the sentence for Veronica with a somber face.

She nodded and swallowed hard. "My team's on it, so we'll get the son of a bitch, but still, in the meantime, I somehow got stuck with the girl," Veronica said, but caught on her words before Logan could say anything back. "I didn't mean it to sound like that. That kid needs help, and I'm glad to offer some," She added, not really wanting Logan to think she'd turned into a cold-hearted person since they last seen each other.

Logan would never think something like that though, so in response, he nodded and faintly smiled. "You go then, Veronica. It's okay…" He told her softly.

Veronica took in a deep breath and nodded her head as well. Neither moved from their spots for at least a couple of minutes after that though.

Veronica looked up at Logan as he fiddled with his hands and kept his eyes on the floor. She didn't want to go —that was the truth she was one more time facing. Being in Neptune sucked that way —when she was in LA or anywhere that wasn't Neptune, she was pretty good at not thinking about Logan –for the most part at least.

Being here in Neptune, so close to him, yet at the same time so far, she couldn't keep him out of her mind for more than ten minutes at the time. On the one hand, she was still pissed at him, but on the other hand, in spite of everything, that boy before her was still Logan and Veronica in all honesty couldn't just walk away from him so easily.

After a beat, she shifted her weight, slightly stepping close to him. "Walk me to the door, would you?" She asked him, desperately trying to light up the mood between them.

Logan looked at her painfully, as though wanting to say so much but knowing better than to do it. That in all honesty broke Veronica's heart, but she was strong enough not to let it show. "Come on…" She told him easily, as she hooked her arm around Logan's good one, and the two of them slowly started walking in the direction of the front door.

Once at the foyer, they both stopped to face one another. This time Logan managed to look at Veronica in the eye, and he swallowed hard. "I want you to be happy," Logan promised her after a small moment, his voice now carrying somewhat unsteady.

Veronica's response at his words wasn't what Logan was hoping though. The edge of disbelief in her eyes at his words flashed before she could do anything about it, same as the wounded look she had right before she shifted her eyes away from Logan's.

If that were true, if Logan really wanted her to be happy, then he wouldn't have broken her heart almost three years ago.

"Veronica,"

"What?" She asked him but her voice cracked.

Veronica shook her head in rapid motions willing herself not to do this right now. She couldn't allow herself to lose it before Logan again. Nope, she had to be strong and just leave this place before he could tell her more nonsense.

"You have a life in LA…" Logan started speaking softly then as Veronica stared at the floor and kept shaking her head ever so slightly. "In a few days you are going to go back and everything's going to go back to normal, I promise. You'll get back to work; you'll go back to your life there and Neptune and I will be just a passing thought I'm sure…"

That was bullshit, and he knew it. Veronica lifted up her eyes and angrily looked at Logan. He was trying hard to keep her from asking questions he didn't feel comfortable answering, but after all this time, Logan should just know better than to try to do that.

"You don't know jack shit about my life now," Veronica spat angrily finally able to put into words her anger.

"I know you have a good one, I know you managed to get out of here and move on." Logan told her back as steady as he could muster. "You are detective in LA, Veronica. Heck, you are even getting married…" The very last thing Logan wanted was to drag her back down into the rabbit hole with him to be honest. She deserved better than he could offer, and the fact that she was doing so well away from him only proved his point right.

Veronica didn't agree with that line of thought though. Even when everything Logan said was true, it still should be her choice to decide what she needed to know or not.

After a few moments of silence, Veronica looked up at him and chewed on her lip. "Do you think I would be here right now if I had actually moved on as you say?" She asked Logan sharply before grabbing her purse from the small table behind him, and hanging it over her shoulder.

Just as Veronica went to reach for the door's handle, she felt Logan's hand on the crook of her elbow. "You are not going to let it go, are you?" Logan whispered then even though he already knew the answer.

Veronica turned her head to meet his eyes and shook it. "No." She deserved to know and nothing Logan would tell her could make her change her mind.

"You wouldn't be you if you did…" There was a small sad smile on Logan's face as he spoke. He let out a long breath before reaching up his good arm, and ever so gently, brushing a few strands of hair off Veronica's face.

She closed her eyes when their faces were suddenly mere inches apart. Logan didn't say anything for a good moment, but slowly rested his forehead against hers. His hand was still brushing slightly against her cheek, and the feeling alone made Veronica shiver. And the truth was, she couldn't understand just why every single time she'd believed she was over him, something like this happened, and she was back to being seventeen, and madly feeling all these feelings for her dead best friend's boyfriend…

And the worst part, just as she didn't at seventeen, at twenty-six she still couldn't make sense of all those feelings.

Veronica then made herself wake up from her Logan induced stupor, and gently placed her hand over his chest, willing him to push away.

And he did —after a couple more minutes. He looked into her eyes and smiled sadly before kissing her forehead fondly. "You are going to hate me," Logan whispered oh-so quietly Veronica almost missed it.

She bit her lip strongly before shaking her head. "I won't," She promised him back simply. In all honesty, Veronica wasn't sure she was even capable of feeling hate towards Logan anymore. Nah…she couldn't. If she could, then things would be much easier she was sure. "I can't." She added after a beat, when hers and Logan's eyes met again. "I need to go to my Dad's now, but…" Her voice trailed off as she bit her lip again and silently pleaded Logan to finish her sentence for her.

And thankfully he did —even though he wasn't happy about it. "But we will talk. I know…"

Veronica breathed in deeply and nodded. She needed to go now. "Tonight, I…in spite of everything, Logan…tonight…"

"It was nice, wasn't it?"

Veronica nodded her head slowly at that. "It was." She agreed simply. "You know, I really wish things with us didn't have to be so hard…"

Logan snorted at that, and nodded. Truer words couldn't have been spoken. "If wishes were fishes, we'd all cast nets, my dear…"

Veronica chuckled quietly at that, and shook her head. "Frank Herbert?"

"Yeah," Logan replied with a tiny smile.

Veronica matched it, yet she knew what she was supposed to say now. "Bye…"

"Bye Veronica," Logan breathed out as he reluctantly opened the door to his place for her. They shared one last lingering look before Veronica stepped through the door and didn't look back again until she was already inside her car.

It took her yet another moment before she started the car and backed off his driveway for once and for all.

Even when Veronica was almost positive she wasn't going to like whatever Logan had to tell her, she still knew she had to know it. Once upon a time, she honestly did think they would make it, it was only fair she learned why they didn't, no?


End file.
